Behind The Mask
by CynicSun92
Summary: She still wasn't sure if this was right. So many things could go wrong and the fault would lie squarely on her shoulders. Desdemona had already lost too much over the years and Charmer knew that. Both sought each other for comfort but with the war quickly escalating and tensions running high, can their relationship survive the coming storm? (F!SS/Desdemona; Full Summary inside)
1. Chapter 1: Journey to Sanctuary

Behind the Mask

 _Full Summary: She still wasn't sure if this was right. So many things could go wrong and the fault would lie squarely on her shoulders. Desdemona had already lost too much to allow that to happen and Charmer knew that. But they still sought each other because only they knew what truly lay beneath the masks they wore. The determined leader and the perky prewar agent, both of whom deeply longed for an opportunity to rebuild a past dream they once had that tragically slipped through their fingers. With the war for the Commonwealth quickly escalating and tensions running high, can their relationship survive the coming storm? Or will circumstance sever their burgeoning relationship?_

 _Author's Note: I haven't written in a long time and it's only until now that I've gotten around to making an account. I'll also try to get this story posted on AO3. Reviews are welcome as I try to polish my rusty writing skills. Just a heads up, this story will contain SPOILERS for the main quest-line of Fallout 4 and some slight canon-divergence because I want to take a few liberties._

 _This story is rated M for violence, gore and sexual content(maybe?)_

 _Disclaimer: Fallout 4 and its characters are owned by Bethesda. OC's that appear in this story are of my creation._

Chapter One: Journey to Sanctuary

Things were never simple in the Railroad. With the Institute constantly breathing down their necks and the many high risk operations they undertook to fulfill the goals of the organization, all while scraping the bottom of the proverbial barrel, it was a bit of a surprise to even think that they have lasted this long. And with the arrival of the Brotherhood of Steel and Desdemona's declaration of war against them, many within the organization could only wonder if they were biting off way, way more than they could chew.

Everything was a gamble when it came to the Railroad. Whatever bit of success they might have experienced from time to time seemed to be a result of sheer luck. Though, it was quite often that they drank from the bitter cup of defeat and with the loss of the Switchboard, along with the resulting decline in morale and personnel, it had become all too clear that the organization was one step away from being completely wiped out.

But with the arrival of a new agent a few months back and the events that have unfolded since she had joined them, the Railroad might just be making the sort of progress that hasn't been seen since…well, ever. It was their one and only chance they would have to perhaps turn the tide of the war in their favor, or at least gain some sort of leverage that could give the organization any sort of advantage against their much more powerful and fearsome enemies.

And as the Railroad Alpha, it was up to Desdemona to personally ensure that their latest gamble would pay off.

" _If only these idiots would get out of the way,"_ Dez thought to herself as she took cover behind a tree stump, seeing a trio of Raiders approach her position. They hadn't completely noticed her yet, so she took the opportunity to aim her Railway Rifle at one raider and fired, the spike easily piercing her chest through the thinly armored harness. As the other two raiders took notice, Dez quickly aimed at another and fired, the shot piercing him through the lens of his gas mask and into his eye. The remaining raider spotted Dez and zeroed in on her location, charging at her with a bladed tire iron in hand.

"You fucking bitch! You killed Mick! I'll-"

The raider didn't get to finish his rant as a railway spike pierced his skull, yanking his head off and pinning it to a nearby tree.

"Daaammmnnn! That was some brutal shit! Don't know what you were worried about Dez. You still got it good with that rifle."

Desdemona reloaded her weapon, hearing the audible 'choo-choo' noise it made as Tinker Tom stood up from the dried shrubbery he was hiding in. Dez stood a moment to observe their surroundings and she could see they were approaching what looked to be an abandoned town up the road they were traveling on.

"Hold on," Dez raised a hand, signaling Tom to stop, "See those buildings over there?" she said, pointing in the direction towards the town, "If I'm not mistaken, we are approaching Concord. We should take a detour, preferably off road. No doubt there are more of those bastards hiding there."

Dez and Tom went off the road and snuck through the nearby fields. As there was little to give them cover, they maintained a far distance from Concord. No telling if there were more raiders in that ghost town but they weren't going to take that chance. After all, it is common wasteland knowledge that where there are two or three raiders lounging around, it was very likely that there would be a dozen more nearby.

"I told Charmer that we should build the Molecular Relay in one of the safehouses, but noooo. She got us haulin' ass to the ass end of the Commonwealth," Tom complained, "What is Sanctuary anyway? Didn't Deacon say it was abandoned? Like a ghost town or something? We don't got anything to deal with actual ghosts, if and when they show up."

Dez would've laughed if she wasn't so focused on the mission at hand. Part of her sympathized with Tinker Tom. There was a lot of distance to cover between Railroad HQ and Sanctuary, which meant they had to undertake a long and perilous trek, avoiding Raiders, Super Mutants, Gunners and pretty much anything and everything that called the Commonwealth 'home'. It was a good thing Tom had a surplus stock of Stealth Boys at the ready.

Dez also worried that something could go wrong at HQ in her absence. Another Institute attack was at the top of her concerns, especially since her more reliable agents were also away from HQ doing their own thing. Deacon had accompanied Charmer to Sanctuary, while Artemis was checking on Mercer and Frey safehouses. Which left Glory and Dr. Carrington to watch over headquarters. As long as they weren't at each other's throats, then they should be all right. Or at least Dez hoped they would be all right.

The construction of the Molecular Relay was a project too important for Desdemona to sit back and watch from a distance. After agent Charmer brought them Virgil's blueprints on how to construct the relay (how Tom managed to decipher those blueprints was truly beyond Dez, but then again, there was a lot about Tom that was beyond her understanding), the next issue to be dealt with was choosing a suitable location to build it.

" _We could use one of our safe houses," Tom had suggested, "I think we got a good thing going in Mercer Safehouse. We'll set it up there."_

 _Desdemona, Glory, Deacon, Tinker Tom and Dr. Carrington stood around the round table at the middle of HQ, discussing their plan of action. Artemis was absent again, which was becoming frequent as of late, no doubt hanging around with the mechanic friend she made some time ago. Although Artemis has never let the Railroad down, Dez was still going to have a serious chat with her when she comes back. Meanwhile, Charmer, who stood across the table, opposite of Dez, took this moment to speak._

" _I don't think that would be a viable idea," she said, "This is a pretty big project were going to be working on. Constructing the Molecular Relay in one of our safehouses will no doubt grab the attention of our enemies. We would putting agents and synths located there at huge risk."_

 _Dr. Carrington looked at Dez. "I would have to agree with Charmer. Building this…relay…in a safehouse, we might as well hang up a sign inviting the Institute and the Brotherhood of Steel to check it out and burn the place to the ground while they're at it."_

 _Dez, who was busy looking at the plans before her, lifted her head to look at Charmer. She had taken off her shades and for a moment there, Desdemona couldn't help but gaze at her steely blue eyes. Dez quickly composed herself however, and asked her if she had an idea in mind._

" _Yes, I do," she said as she took out a map and laid it across the table, "Though we have established two new safehouses, the Railroad lacks the necessary manpower to protect the construction site should our enemies come knocking. Which is why…" she pointed at the northwest corner of the map, "we should build the molecular relay somewhere that is defensible. Somewhere like Sanctuary."_

" _Damn, that's a long way to go," Glory said, "Why Sanctuary?"_

" _The Institute and the Brotherhood of Steel rarely operate around the Charles River," Charmer said, "On the other hand, the Minutemen have been gaining strength as of late and they have Sanctuary and the surrounding areas locked down tight. Their General is also a good friend of mine who would gladly work together with the Railroad and help keep our operations on the down low. I know it's very far, but it should attract little attention to our work."_

" _Well, it looks like Charmer's got this all figured out," Deacon said as he looked at Dez, "But it's your call boss. What'll it be?"_

 _Desdemona thought it over for a minute and looked back at Charmer. "All right, Charmer. We'll do it your way. I'm entrusting you to go to Sanctuary and see this project through."_

Two weeks have already gone by since that meeting, and Desdemona felt it was her responsibility to personally oversee the construction of the Railroad's latest project. If things continued to go as planned, then the Railroad would finally have a way to infiltrate the Institute and perhaps find some way to truly bring the fight to them.

Dez also happened to be escorting Tinker Tom, who would provide additional assistance and expertise to the project, as well as provide the holotape which Charmer would use to download any and all relevant information from the Institute's database.

At least, that was the "official" reason she was heading for Sanctuary.

As much as she tried to shake off thoughts about her, Desdemona couldn't shake off the fact that she wanted to see Charmer again. It's already been more than two weeks since Dez last saw or heard from her and she wanted to make sure she was doing well over in Sanctuary. After all, what kind of leader would she be if she didn't look after the well-being of one of her most talented and capable agents? It surely had nothing to do with the fact that she and Charmer have gotten…close, in recent weeks.

Desdemona sighed as certain thoughts started forming in her head. It was…an unexpected turn of events. She never realized she would have ended up developing certain feelings for the woman. The sort of feelings she thought were long dead and buried all those years ago. Especially when Dez was a bit reluctant to allow her into the Railroad at first.

For starters, Deacon had provided her with intel on this woman, which revealed that she was associated with the Brotherhood of Steel. Charmer had indeed confirmed it but had repeatedly assured Desdemona that her ideals were different from the Brotherhood's and her loyalties did not lie with them. Desdemona, understandably, took Charmer's assurances with a grain of salt.

Desdemona initially felt neutral towards them. The Brotherhood of Steel were a powerful force who could've been useful in fighting the Institute after all. But once she learned that the Brotherhood intended to purge the Commonwealth of synths, Desdemona knew that, sooner or later, they would end up in conflict.

All the sleepless nights she endured, all the agents who risked their lives to help synths and give them a second chance at life if they so desired it and all the others who had lost their lives fighting the Institute and other menaces that plagued the Commonwealth would be for nothing if those tech-coveting zealots had their way.

She was all too aware that the Railroad stood little chance in a head-on fight with the Brotherhood. But every army has a weakness and it would be Desdemona's responsibility to find and exploit whatever weaknesses the Brotherhood might have. In the meantime, she ordered all agents to avoid any and all possible conflict with Brotherhood troops for the time being while she took it upon herself to devise numerous plans and contingencies, with Operation Red Glare being her and Tom's main project. Time would be of the essence and Desdemona could only hope that by the time the Railroad and the Brotherhood clashed, she would already have a few tricks up her sleeve that would help even the odds.

Secondly, and on a perhaps less serious note, her initial reluctance into letting Charmer join was the fact that Charmer acted quite…unruly with her, responding to Dez with as much sarcasm as she could, despite the fact that Glory had her minigun aimed right at the intruder.

But Dez should've known better than to judge a book by its cover.

" _I have a question. The only question that matters. Would you risk your life for your fellow man, even if that man was a synth?"_

" _I risk my neck out there every day for people, regardless if they are synth, ghoul, or human. I'll gladly defend any person out there who simply wants to make something out of their lives in this messed up world, without having to constantly fear the likes of raiders, the Institute and others who would torment them."_

Desdemona remembered feeling a bit impressed by the woman's answer to her question. Very few recruits could say something like that, especially with as much conviction as Charmer had said it. It made her realize that there was more to the woman than the fool she initially tried to pass off as.

And if she may be honest, she has now truly accepted that the woman who would be known to her as Charmer was a godsend to the Railroad at one of their most critical moments. With her help, they had made plenty of progress the likes Dez hasn't seen in months, perhaps years. And while her behavior could be a bit annoying, especially when paired with Deacon, it had surprisingly done wonders for the morale of the other agents at HQ.

As Desdemona was lost in her own thoughts, she noticed now that she and Tinker Tom had just passed the Red Rocket Station, now dubbed 'Fort Red Rocket' as the pre-war gas station has become a repurposed military garrison for the Minutemen, and were already approaching the wooden bridge that led to Sanctuary.

Dez gave a sigh of relief at the thought that they had finally reached their destination. Despite the important tasks that lay ahead, Dez wanted to nothing more than a nice bath and a decent bed to rest her exhausted body before she got to work.

They continued up the road and crossed the wooden bridge, when they came up to the gates of Sanctuary and a lone Minuteman that stood guard there.

"Hold it right there missy. We don't just take in any random stranger into our town. Better identify yourself," he said.

' _Oh, for the love of…'_ Dez sighed, a frown etched on her face as she glared at the man standing before her. "I'm not really in the mood for games, _Deacon._ Now let us in before I get Glory to kick your ass for me."

"Aw, you're no fun, Boss," Deacon said as he put away his rifle, "I could have sworn I was perfectly disguised as a Minuteman. What gave me away? It was the hat, wasn't it?"

"Just. Open. The gate."

"Alright, alright, boss. Just don't shoot me…or make mean faces behind my back," Deacon said as Dez rolled her eyes. He pushed open the gate and the three of them entered the settlement known as Sanctuary.

It seems they have arrived on a busy day. Desdemona took in the sight of the bustling town as she passed through the gate and walked up the street. Merchants peddled their wares from nearby market stalls. There were some settlers lounging around what appeared to be a local tavern, while others were busy at work, either at the workbenches or farming. Guards stood vigilant at strategically placed watch towers, keeping an eye out for any outside threat, while a squad of Minutemen and a freakishly large Sentry Bot patrolled the streets of Sanctuary, making their way towards the bridge.

She remembered the reports Deacon had brought her about Sanctuary all those months ago. How it was just broken down houses and ruins and its only inhabitant was a Mr. Handy robot that seemed fixated on one house in particular. In a matter of months, Sanctuary Hills had gone from a destitute pre-war ruin into a symbol of hope and progress for other villages and settlements across the Commonwealth.

"Well shit, this is nothing like the Sanctuary you described to me a few months back," she said.

"I know, right?" Deacon said, "I think in a few years from now, Sanctuary will be giving Diamond City a run for its money for largest and well-defended shantytown in the Commonwealth."

"I'm surprised the Minutemen have come this far," Dez said, "Last I remembered, they were even worse off than us, and that's saying something."

"Yeah, the Minutemen have been making a comeback as of late. The fact that they retook the Castle a while back was proof enough. Hopefully, they'll try not to royally screw up this second chance at life they got," Deacon responded.

"I doubt they would fail miserably twice, especially since Charmer had a hand in their revival," Desdemona curiously stated as Deacon looked back at her with a raised eyebrow, "Oh, don't give me that look Deacon. Do you really think I don't keep tabs on my top agents who go on week long field trips scouring the wastes?"

"Hey, that one time I told you that Charmer and I tried to train feral ghouls and form them into a singing choir was true. We were forced to put them down when they thought "sing me a C minor" was ghoul slang for "eat my brains."

Desdemona rubbed her forehead as she tried to hide her irritation. _"I sometimes wonder how I put up with this shit,"_ she thought to herself as she swore that the likelihood of dying of an aneurysm was becoming much higher than being murdered in cold blood by the Institute.

Nonetheless, they continued walking up the street, a large tree coming into view. That was when Dez noticed someone approaching them from up ahead. One quick glance and she couldn't help but smile a little as she recognized the person. The blonde, shoulder length hair, the shades, the armored greaser outfit with the Atom Cats logo, and that annoying yet alluring smirk were all unmistakable to Desdemona.

After two weeks, she was now once again face to face with her best agent. She is a Lieutenant to the Minutemen, an agent of the Railroad and she was once a Knight in the Brotherhood. The Commonwealth knew her as the 'Woman out of Time', a living, breathing relic of a bygone era.

She was Aveline Strauss, codename Charmer.


	2. Chapter 2: Catching Up

It has been two weeks since Aveline had returned to Sanctuary, ready to carry out her new task as soon as possible. She had sought assistance from Sturges after Preston gave her the okay to begin construction of the Molecular Relay in Sanctuary.

Thankfully, Tinker Tom had made a slightly more understandable version of Virgil's gibberish-written schematic, so Sturges was able to get to work immediately.

However, there were still rarer components that were needed for the relay to work and it forced her to travel around the Commonwealth for a few days in search of them. She was at least in good company with the likes of Cait, Hancock and her fellow Railroad buddy Deacon, as they hunted down the necessary items.

Aveline needed to accomplish this now that she was one step closer to finding the Institute. One step closer to rescuing her son from their clutches. Hopefully, one step closer to finally put Nathan's soul to rest, as she hoped that wherever he was in the afterlife, he would bear witness to the reunion of mother and son, as they try to patch together a new life. The life that was meant for the three them before nuclear war, Vault-Tec and the goddamn Institute took it all away.

"How's the relay going, Sturges?"

Sturges lifted his gaze from the terminal he was working on, wiping the sweat off his forehead before turning to look at Aveline.

"It's lookin' good so far. I got the main terminal working with those circuit boards you brought me. I still need to install the biometric scanner, sensor module and make some additional tweaks, as well as connect the generators to give some juice to the relay…"

"I'm sensing a 'but' in there," Aveline said.

Sturges sighed as he rubbed the back of his neck. "Well, I say this will take maybe an extra few days. Gotta make sure that this thing can work properly and not blow up in our faces. Not to mention I already have a backlog on repairs I need to make across the settlement. One of the guards mentioned the turret on the eastern entrance, by the bridge that leads to the vault, is on the fritz again. And the Longs did mention that the plumbing in some of the houses here need some maintenance."

Aveline sighed. As much as she wanted to have this project wrapped up as soon as possible, she didn't want to do it by over-working her friend to the bone. Sturges was and still is one of the few people she could actually consider a true friend and it did make her feel slightly guilty to see him put some of his duties aside and work so hard for the past two weeks on something that wouldn't really give him any personal reward.

Not that he would want a reward. He believed the chance to test his technical genius and creativity with whatever resources Aveline has scrounged up was reward enough for him and it honestly brought her some sense of comfort to know that there were still people out there with kind hearts who refused to be corrupted by the harshness of the wasteland.

' _I suppose a small delay wouldn't hurt much now,'_ she thought to herself. It's already been nine months since she woke up from the vault, admittedly having gotten sidetracked with helping out local settlers, tasks for certain people, and the occasional odd job…emphasis on 'odd'.

Besides, according to Kellogg's memories, ten years have gone by since the Institute took Shaun and left Aveline in cryo stasis again and seeing the young boy that Shaun now was in his memories meant that for whatever intents or purposes that the Institute had, they oddly seemed to be taking care of him.

It still wasn't going to stop Aveline from jumping into the maw of the Institute to take back her kid and feed plenty of bullets and grenades to any synth and scientist stupid enough to stand in her way.

"I think we could give Sturges a break to deal with his own tasks if that's all right with you, Lieutenant Strauss?" the voice of Preston brought her mind back into focus. She had completely forgotten that the General of the Minutemen was standing beside her, having travelled all the way from the Castle to see Sturge's handiwork for himself.

"Yeah, sure thing Preston," Aveline responded, "Sturges, I suggest you go get some dinner at The Drunken Huntsman. I'm pretty sure you're going to love today's menu. Just tell Aaron to put it on my tab."

"Aw shucks, Aveline. Shouldn't it be me buyin' you dinner?" Sturges asked with a smirk.

"Sweetie, you've done so much already. If anything, I don't know how to repay you for working on all this," Aveline responded.

Sturges sighed as he wiped his hands on a towel. "I already told ya' you don't owe me anything. If you really insist on paying me back for helping you build this thing, then just get your kid back and give the Institute a one-two punch and I'll call us even."

Aveline placed her hands on her hips and grinned confidently. "Oh you know there's no avoiding that. I know given enough time, Shaun will come to like everyone here and the Institute will be one less problem to deal with when I'm through with them," she said.

"Well, with a firecracker like you on our side, I don't see how we'll fail," Preston complimented before turning his attention to Sturges, "Do you have anyone else here to work on this thing?" he asked.

"Nope. The only other techie I could probably trust on this is that Vault girl that Aveline brought up here. I think Tina was her name? But last I heard, she's over at Sunshine Tidings working on their turrets and generators," Sturges responded.

"But hey, if you wanna make yourself useful General, why don't you take over the relay while I go work on a few things here in Sanctuary?" Sturges asked with a grin of his own.

"I'll have to pass on that one Sturges," Preston replied, "I don't want to be held responsible for blowing up Sanctuary. I've got a reputation to uphold now." He straightened his General's coat for extra punctuation.

"Heh. That you do Preston. Though I thought you wouldn't mind getting' a bit hurt if it meant that our lovely doctor got to take a look at you." Sturges and Aveline chuckled as they noticed a slight blush on Preston's face as he shifted a bit uncomfortably.

"Well, I'll be going then. Have fun you two," Sturges waved as he walked past them towards Sanctuary's tavern.

Now it was just Preston and Aveline as they looked at the almost finished relay.

"So…" Aveline began, "Curie, huh?"

"Do we really have talk about that?" Preston asked.

The look on his face just caused her to grin from ear to ear. "You llliiiiiike her, doncha' General?"

Preston gave an exasperated sigh. "It's not what you think it is. Well, not officially," he answered lamely.

"Aw, don't look so down, Preston. I mean, you already look good in that General's coat and no doubt she's impressed by you. You just gotta talk to her. Take her out on a date. Do something so impressive that she'll be swooning all over for you," Aveline said as she lightly nudged Preston in the rib with her elbow, "We could start by maybe blowing up the Institute, with my help of course. I can see it now. General Garvey, leading the Minutemen to victory over the boogeyman known as the Institute. You'll be a national hero and I will be your trusty sidekick."

Preston couldn't help but laugh out loud at his friend's exaggerated imagination.

"You've been hanging around Deacon way too much to come up with something like that," he said and he sighed, "We all know who the true hero of this story is and who the sidekicks are and I'm no hero, my friend. I'm just doing what's right for the people. Hell, I wouldn't be General if you didn't push me so damn hard into the position. But I suppose that's what I get for trying to push it on you in the first place."

Aveline remembered how sometime after her awakening from the vault and rescuing his group from raiders at Concord, she helped Preston cobble together some settlements that looked to the Minutemen for support. After helping various settlements that were adjacent to Sanctuary, Preston wanted to name Aveline as the new leader or 'General' of the Minutemen.

Aveline politely refused and suggested that he take the mantle instead. At the time, she just wanted to focus on finding the man who killed her husband and took her son and besides, she had always considered herself a follower rather than a leader. She believed Preston had more potential than her to be a leader of the people, but first, she had to break him out of that shell of self-doubt he harbored after the disappointment and despair he had suffered since the downfall of the Minutemen and the Quincy Massacre that followed.

After a bit of arguing and a few words of encouragement, Preston relented and named himself General under the condition that Aveline stay as one of his advisors. It took some time but Preston eventually became a lot more confident in himself, notably after they retook the Castle, resulting in many other settlements clamoring to join the Minutemen.

"So, if you're here, who did you leave behind to watch over the Castle?" Aveline asked.

"I left Ronnie in charge while I decided to drop by to see what this little project of yours was all about," Preston continued, "And make sure that Sanctuary is well defended in case it attracts unwanted guests. I'm surprised the Institute or the Brotherhood hasn't been snooping around, considering how they like to grab any valuable looking tech for themselves."

"Were pretty much in the ass of the Commonwealth," Aveline replied as she kicked a rock that was at her feet, "As far as they're concerned, this part of the Commonwealth is home to just a bunch of backwater farmers. Still, I can't let our guard down just in case we are being watched from afar, so it doesn't hurt to have plenty of extra security here for any potential threats."

"Yeah, but wouldn't that attract more attention?" Preston asked, "Hey, I don't mean to sound ungrateful but those Sentry Bots you've deployed around here aren't exactly subtle. Where did you even get them?"

Aveline smirked at Preston's questioning look. "Well, let's just say I have a friend who has a mind for robots and just happens to owe me a favor…a really big favor," she motioned for Preston to follow her as they walked over to the almost finished relay, "Besides, it's better this way. You've already done me a huge favor by letting me build this thing here in Sanctuary. I didn't want you to pull troops out of the Heavy Infantry Corps to provide extra muscle here when they're needed elsewhere. Captain Sturnn would no doubt want my head on a pike if I so much as ask her to lend me _one_ Minuteman in power armor. By the way, have the Brotherhood given us any trouble?"

Preston sighed as he crossed his arms. "It's a headache to deal with. I won't lie to you; relations have soured long ago. And they're especially not amused with the fact that we now have soldiers of our own using laser weapons and power armor."

"Typical. They keep all the good toys for themselves. Shame though. I'd like to see the look on their faces when they find out that the modified laser rifles I've passed on to some of our boys and gals are actually better than the standard rifles issued amongst the Brotherhood," Aveline smiled mischievously.

"Yeah, I'm pretty sure we've given them enough reason to consider a war with us. The reason they haven't done so yet is because of the Institute. They seem smart enough to know that having enemies on all fronts could end badly for them. Not to mention that by declaring war on the Minutemen, they might as well declare war on the Commonwealth itself, considering how many people are supporting us as of late," Preston said with a small amount of pride in his tone.

"Well, let's hope they keep focused on the Institute then," Aveline said as she tucked a hand inside a pocket on her jacket to pull out a small flask.

' _Ah, whiskey. My one true friend,'_ she thought to herself as she unfastened the lid and took a swig from the flask, the liquid burning her throat a bit but it gave her an odd sense of relaxation.

"Still gotta ask though, what's up with this freaky looking machine?" Preston asked as he inspected the relay, "Is it really going to take you inside the Institute?"

Aveline sighed as she wiped her mouth with her sleeve and got up from the bench, strolling over to where Preston was standing, arms behind her back.

"That's the plan," she replied, "Though it's yet to be seen if it'll actually accomplish that. There's a probable chance that it could turn me into a pile of ash but I can't turn back now. My boy is somewhere in the Institute with those mad scientists and I'm getting him back one way or another."

"Well, I've seen you pull off some crazy, impossible stunts before. If anyone can do this, it's you, my friend," Preston said.

"Thanks for your vote of confidence, General," Aveline said and a more somber expression replaced her previous nonchalance, "I…I just want to rescue my son so I can try and make something out of our lives here."

Preston placed a hand on Aveline's shoulder and shook her lightly, his way of reassuring her. "Hey, you can always count on me and the others if you want folks to watch over your kid. You're not alone in this. You've pulled me and many others out of a dark place and we'll do anything we can to help you out as well."

"You guys don't know it but you've done much more for me out here," Aveline replied, "But thanks, Preston. I really appreciate the sentiment."

The two friends just stood in silence, staring at the unfinished relay when a Minuteman soldier approached them.

"General, it seems we have some new visitors here in Sanctuary," he said as he turned to look at Aveline, "Your friend with the sunglasses seems to be acquainted with them, Lieutenant. I figured I would give you the heads up just in case."

That certainly piqued Aveline's curiosity. "Thank you sergeant. You're dismissed," she responded. _'Who could it be,'_ she wondered. No doubt Deacon was probably doing his usual routine of regaling some of the locals with his fanciful bullshit, but then again, he wasn't the kind of person to greet strangers at Sanctuary's front door, unless…

 _No way._

"Hey Preston, want to come with me? I want to see what Deacon's up to now," Aveline said as she put on her sunglasses.

"Sure thing, Lieutenant," he responded, "I hope he isn't stirring trouble around here. People weren't too content to see him up on the rooftops throwing teddy bears at Dogmeat yesterday."

"We already told you. It it was a training exercise for Dogmeat!"

"That still doesn't explain why he was on the roof of one the houses here!" Preston gave an exasperated sigh as he walked past the large tree.

It was then that he noticed Deacon (okay, he really must be up to no good if he's dressed up as a Minuteman) and two other folks walking beside him up the street in their direction. One was a dark skinned man with a… _peculiar_ looking hat or helmet or whatever that was supposed to be.

The other was a woman with slight pale skin and ginger hair. Preston noticed her look in their direction, or specifically, Aveline's direction and the grumpy scowl she had on her face made way for a soft smile that disappeared quickly when Deacon kept talking to her.

"Lieutenant, do you know those people?"

Preston turned to look at Aveline and noticed a raised eyebrow and the smirk on her lips. That pretty much answered his question and followed her as she made her way towards her friends.

Aveline had sort of anticipated that Desdemona would want to see the Molecular Relay for herself, but at the same time she wasn't really expecting her to actually leave HQ and come all the way to Sanctuary.

She took of her sunglasses as she addressed her fellow Railroad cohorts. "Well, I'll be damned. We've got some guests of honor!" she beamed a smile at them as she approached her fellow agents.

"Charmer! What's good my friend?" Tom said as he fist-bumped Aveline. The two had become fast friends in the early days of her joining the Railroad and got along very well since then. That might have to do with Aveline being Tom's best customer. Not like anyone else in the Commonwealth sells Stealth Boys. Or it might have to do with Aveline's eagerness to test out Tom's experimental weapons, much to Dez's chagrin.

"Tom! Thank god you're here buddy. I've been slave-driving a poor ol' friend of mine, so I sent him off to take a well-deserved break. That means you'll get to work on the relay thingy," Aveline said, pointing behind her in the direction of the construction site and noticing the look of childlike glee that spread on Tom's face. The agent looked away from Tom and focused her attention on her leader.

Despite Desdemona's professional frown, Aveline could tell that Dez was internally elated to see her again, if the way her eyes seemed to light up was anything to go by. Hopefully they would have time for themselves later on, but in the meantime they would have to keep up professional appearances. She cleared her throat and put on her best 'charm smile'.

"Heya Boss Lady," she greeted, "Nice to see you outside for a change. What brought you all the way to my little corner of the Commonwealth?"

"I think you already know why I'm here," Dez responded with a serious tone.

Aveline only grinned at her and then glanced at her own fingernails.

"Here for business, huh? That's a shame. I was hoping it was because you couldn't resist my good looks."

Desdemona scoffed and rolled her eyes at her lame flirting attempts. Though Aveline did manage to see a twinge of red spreading on Dez's cheeks.

Ever since she joined the Railroad, Aveline found herself taking an interest in the Railroad's leader. Sure, they nearly did start off on the wrong foot when they first met; when Aveline resorted to her usual smartass self while she was being interrogated by a slightly paranoid Dez, but she was saved by her then stalker turned best friend Deacon, who vouched for her and gave her a chance to prove her worth.

With their eventual successful raid on the Institute-occupied Switchboard HQ, she caused more than a few heads to turn her way, allowing her to gain the favor and respect of most of the agents at the current HQ.

Aveline had initially chalked off her interest in Desdemona as some form of admiration or respect. She admired Dez's fortitude and determination in the face of so many struggles and dangers that would have caused anyone else to crack under the pressure. And while she knew that Dez did struggle with her emotions from time to time, the Railroad Alpha still soldiered on for the sake of her mission and her friends and comrades.

Upon learning a bit about each other's pasts, both Aveline and Desdemona realized that they weren't as different as they thought. Both had witnessed their worlds turned upside down, by the Institute no less, and forced into a constant struggle to survive, all the while they did everything they could to hide their own doubts, fears and insecurities. Aveline sought comfort in her tendency for humor and caring for others, while Desdemona stood behind her determined resolve to see the Railroad's mission through, come what may. The masks they chose to wear may have been different but the reasons for doing so remained the same.

And eventually, mutual respect turned into something more.

Her behavior and wisecracks would sometimes annoy Dez but whenever she completed her missions and came back with good news (and a pack of cigarettes on the side), Aveline started to notice the smiles Desdemona would send her way and for some reason that Aveline couldn't fathom at the time, Dez's smile sent her heart racing.

Maybe because of how rare it was to see some trace of joy and satisfaction on a woman who was constantly stressed out and grimly serious. Not only that, the glares and looks of annoyance that Dez would send her way whenever she was up to some shenanigans with Deacon or Glory eventually gave way to reluctant acceptance. Sure, Dez would still scoff at Aveline's behavior and give her a lecture, but it was all to keep up appearances, if the small smirk that formed on Dez's lips was anything to go by.

The same lips that brushed against her own before Aveline departed for the Glowing Sea. The same lips that sent Aveline's heart racing furiously and caused her to kiss Desdemona back with awakened passion. A feeling that she barely felt for anyone who wasn't her beloved Nathan.

That fact that she seemed to be falling for another woman didn't bother her in the slightest. While same sex relationships were seen as taboo during pre-war times, Aveline wasn't shy to admit that she had her fair share of adventurous flings with both men and women during her high school and early college years before she eventually fell in love and settled with Nathaniel Strauss.

But now, life was too short out here in the wastes for most people to get picky on who they were sharing their bed with. You were free to love whoever you damn well pleased without having to listen to the constant heckling of others on how you were un-American if you weren't making babies for Uncle Sam's war against communism.

All in all, Aveline was quite happy to see Dez again.

"You're getting quite famous around here Aveline," Preston chuckled beside her.

"Oh, you have no idea Pres," Deacon joined in, "Everywhere we go, people line up for an autograph and I gotta keep the paparazzi from swarming her.

"Yep, it's true, Preston. Bask in my fame, for I am a wasteland celebrity," she chuckled, "I wouldn't be surprised if Piper started chasing me down with a camera in hand."

Everyone but Desdemona started laughing. Tinker Tom most likely didn't know why he was laughing but it was probably so he wouldn't feel left out.

Once they settled down, the sound of Desdemona clearing her throat caught Aveline's attention, reminding her that there were important matters to attend to, and Dez would no doubt want to get that out of the way.

"So who's your friend here?" Dez asked as she looked at Preston with a scrutinizing gaze, "Am I right to assume that he is the Minutemen's General?"

"General Preston Garvey of the Commonwealth Minutemen," Preston introduced himself as he extended a hand towards Desdemona, "At your service. And you are?"

Desdemona eyed him warily for a moment before glancing at Aveline, who looked back at her and nodded towards Preston, as if silently saying that he could be trusted. Trust was a difficult concept for Dez to get used to, but she did have some faith in Charmer's judgement.

"You can call me Desdemona," she answered, taking his hand and giving it a light shake, "I suppose you now know me as Cha-, Aveline's _'other'_ boss."

Aveline couldn't help but wonder about the way Desdemona said 'other boss', if she was actually a bit jealous that her best agent was also dedicating her time and efforts to the Minutemen.

They might have already had this argument before. Aveline had reasoned that the Minutemen were among the few groups out in this wasteland that were willing to do some good for the Commonwealth to keep it from completely falling apart. She also added that they were proably the only organization willing to join forces with the Railroad against their much stronger enemies in the Institute and potentially the Brotherhood of Steel, if need be. Alienating them would be a serious blunder on Dez's part and would end up putting the Railroad in an even more precarious position than they already were. Desdemona had simply answered with an 'I'll think about it' before they went back to their usual business.

"So, I'm guessing you have an interest in the relay as well?" Preston calmly asked.

"Perhaps," Desdemona curtly replied, "There's more to it but I won't discuss the details unless we are in a more private setting."

"We could gather at my house. No one will bother us there," Aveline suggested.

Desdemona nodded in acknowledgement. "Very well then, Aveline," she said as she turned to Deacon, "Deacon, I'm afraid I need to you bid farewell to your partner. You are to head back to HQ and make sure everyone's alright. Keep them together as best you can until I return," she ordered.

"Just when I was getting to enjoy my vacation…" Dez narrowed her eyes at Deacon, who held his hands up defensively, "Okay boss. I guess someone's gotta make sure that Glory hasn't strangled Carrington."

"I'm glad you understand," Desdemona said with a hint of sarcasm.

"Well, back to the little hellhole we call home. Enjoy your vacation Dez," Deacon said and he waved at Tom and Aveline, "Later Tom. And Boss? When you get into the Institute, bring me a souvenir will ya?"

"After I find my son, I'll make sure to stop by their gift shop before I blow that place to hell," Aveline said as she waved off Deacon. Then she looked at Tom.

"As for you," she said, "Go on ahead to the relay if you want to start working on it already. The friend I mentioned earlier will probably join you shortly after he's done with his lunch break. His name's Sturges and he's one of my most trusted friends, so you know, don't get all spooked and whatnot."

Tom may have muttered something about the Institute and 'nanobots' as he went to see the relay for himself.

Aveline glanced at Preston, then at Desdemona. "All right, the both of you can follow me," gesturing them to keep up with her as she led them a short distance to her new home.

Aveline still had her old home from the time before the bombs fell, but she couldn't bring herself to stay there.

It brought her too many memories to linger on, of Nathan and her infant Shaun. But at the same time, she wasn't ready to let anyone else move in and had asked Preston and Sturges to forbid anyone from using it. Her decision was mostly for Codsworth's sake. The robot butler would no doubt see it as a desecration to the memories of his mistress and former master if anyone other than Aveline made that place their home.

Instead, with the help of Sturges and a few other grateful settlers, she had constructed a home for herself a few feet away on one of the empty lots in Sanctuary, after the settlers have cleared the area of scrap and debris. It was a two-story home with fine wooden walls and enough space for a kitchen, living room, bathroom, two bedrooms and a balcony. And thanks to Sturges' handiwork, it even had a working shower.

Aveline opened the front door and led them into her living room, in which they both took a seat, with Preston taking a spot on Aveline's sofa while Desdemona made herself comfy on a padded chair.

"Dez, you already know Preston is the General of the Minutemen. But I would like to add that he's also one of the first people I met when I got out of the vault and he's become a trusted friend of mine." Aveline said and then turned to look at Preston while gesturing at Dez, "Preston, I'm not sure if you're familiar with the Railroad, but Desdemona here is their leader."

"The Railroad?" Preston sounded almost surprised, "I've heard about you guys, but I really didn't think you were still around. Some people think you don't exist while others think that the Institute's already destroyed you. But then again, Deacon may have let slip about his line of work but I just assumed it was another of his bullshit stories."

Aveline giggled and even Desdemona found herself giving a small chuckle at the statement.

"That's Deacon's specialty," Dez responded before she became serious again, "And as much as his talent for bullshit gets on my nerves, I have to admit that his habit for lying may have actually saved us from certain death on a few occasions."

"So…it's that bad huh?" Preston asked sympathetically. The somber look on Desdemona's face, along with a weary sigh was enough of an answer. He definitely knew what it was like to see the organization you've dedicated yourself for so long crumble around you.

Despite not knowing much about the Railroad, he already felt a mix of sympathy and admiration for them and their leader. Sure, Preston wished the Railroad had more to offer for the Commonwealth but the synths that escaped the Institute, seeking to put distance between themselves and their former masters, needed guidance before the wasteland swallowed them up and he supposed the Railroad were the ones to give it.

Not like anyone else in the Commonwealth would be willing to help them considering the fear and mistrust of synths that most citizens held on to thanks to the Institute. Perhaps his sympathy was born out of respect for the underdog. It wasn't too long ago that the Minutemen were in a similar position after all, and though they were still looked down upon by the Brotherhood of Steel and no doubt by the Institute as well, the Minutemen had grown in strength to the point that they had pretty much shed their underdog status, slowly becoming a powerhouse of their own now that they had the equipment, the resources and the artillery to truly protect the people from any possible threat.

"You have no idea," Desdemona responded, "But I don't wish to speak on that topic." She looked at Aveline, "I suppose you already told the General all there is about the relay?" She asked.

"Yes, though I did leave out some details that implicated the Railroad," Aveline responded and glanced at her friend.

"So, Preston, you already know a bit about the relay and that my primary intention is to use it in hopes of infiltrating the Institute and finding my son," Aveline said, "But you should also know that this project is, in a manner of speaking, 'sponsored' by the Railroad. I had to hunt down an Institute Courser so I could get the chip in its head as it was a vital piece to get this started. Tinker Tom, the other guy that was accompanying Dez? He's the one who helped hack into it and the one who gave me the list of instructions and parts I needed to start working on the relay."

"Originally, we had intended to build it in of the newer Railroad safehouses but the risk was too great. I know how this sounds like, but I came to you because Sanctuary is far away from the Commonwealth's typical hotspots and you have the manpower and resources that the Railroad lacks to protect this relay should it attract unwarranted attention," Aveline finished, looking around slightly nervous.

Preston stood there for a moment as he let Aveline's information sink in. He had no doubt she was probably feeling guilty, like she had been using the Minutemen and directing possible danger to them over the Railroad. And though he wished Aveline could've been a little more forward with him, he slowly began to understand her need and the Railroad's need for secrecy. Still, he would have to take some time to remind his friend that the Minutemen were her people too, and while very few of them actually knew of the real reason on why Aveline wanted to get into the Institute, they knew it was important for her and they were more than willing to pitch in and help in any way possible.

Even if it meant protecting her with their lives should anyone dare attempt to bring harm to their lieutenant.

"It's understandable that you came to me and despite what you think, I don't hold it against you."

"But Preston, I feel like I'm potentially putting the people of Sanctuary in danger."

"I know some people are wondering about the relay but the extra patrols have put them at ease for the moment," Preston assured and glanced at Desdemona, "As for you, I'm guessing you have something more at stake here?"

"A lot actually," Dez answered, "While she infiltrates the Institute and searches for her son, Aveline will also help us by gathering as much data as possible on them. Every bit of information that we can get on the Institute may actually help us in the long run. It's our one and only shot at potentially gaining the knowledge and possible edge that we've been seeking for years over those mad scientists."

"It's not just the Railroad that benefits from this," Aveline interjected, "The Minutemen could potentially benefit as well. I can't say exactly what kind of data I may come across, but imagine if we got to know their strengths and weaknesses. We might be able to find ways to take the fight to them or at least better defend ourselves should they come to us instead."

"Wow…" Preston said as he got up from the sofa, "It's a lot to think about but…" He turned to look at the Minutemen banner that Aveline had placed in her living room, "…Not even the Minutemen during their glory years could have dreamed of something like this. To think that we are so close to solving the mystery of the Commonwealth's boogeyman."

"Sounds promising, doesn't it General?" Desdemona asked.

"I would be lying if I said that the thought doesn't scare me," Preston responded, turning around to look at the Railroad leader, "We are talking about the same elusive organization that's been having their way with the Commonwealth for decades. But this is the one chance we've got to learn the true face of our enemy. And like Aveline said, we could possibly learn how to better defend ourselves against them should they refuse to cease their activities and seek compromise. I can't help but feel curious about how this is gonna turn out."

Aveline had to admit that she was surprised at how Desdemona seemed to be warming up a bit to Preston. Maybe now she was beginning to understand that a partnership between them could be quite fruitful. After all, with the Institute and the Brotherhood of Steel waging war amongst each other, seeking to claim ownership of a land that did not belong to them and not caring about the possible collateral damage they could inflict on the local populace, the little guys would need to stick together, now more than ever.

She caught Dez eyeing her for a moment and Aveline saw a small smile spread on her lips. Then Dez turned to look at Preston.

"I suppose your lieutenant may have been right after all," she spoke, "We have been talking about the possibility of cooperation between our respective organizations and I suppose we might have some common interests after all. However, we might need to clear up some points before-"

The sound of the front door opening interrupted Desdemona, and acting on instinct, she reached for her 10mm sidearm in its holster and aimed it towards the intruder.

"Oh, dear me, I was looking for you but I didn't expect to find guests, mum!" the Mr. Handy robot spoke, "I'm terribly sorry for the interruption."

"You can put the gun away Dez," Aveline said as she walked over to Desdemona and pushed the barrel down so it could point towards the floor, "It's just Codsworth. He's my robot butler who's been around since my prewar days."

"The finest of General Atomics at your service, madam!" Codsworth chirped as he lifted one of his robotic appendages to reach for the bowler hat on his 'head', tipping it as he gave what could be considered as a polite bow towards Desdemona, "I have been a servant of the Strauss family since before the Great War and though I may have waited over 210 years to resume my duties, at least I am glad to have been reunited with Miss Aveline and to be able to continue my responsibility as guardian and caretaker of the Strauss family."

" _So this must be the Mr. Handy that Deacon mentioned,"_ Desdemona thought.

"I'll admit that you are…quite dedicated to have waited all that time," she complimented.

"Uh, Codsworth," Aveline interrupted, "Why were you looking for me?"

"Ah yes, I nearly got carried away. Apologies, mum," Codsworth said, "I was actually looking for both you and the General, but seeing he is in your company now, I was sent by one of the Minutemen to inform you that some new recruits have arrived and you were going to give them a tour of the armory."

"Right, I nearly forgot about that," Preston said, "They got here a bit earlier than I expected."

With Desdemona's unexpected arrival, Aveline had almost forgotten that she and Preston were going to give a tour of Sanctuary to some new folks they recruited into the Minutemen.

"You'll have to pardon me Desdemona, but I guess I have some matters to attend to now. But I hope we could still discuss the possibility of an alliance another time, if that's alright with you?" the General asked as he straightened his coat, making sure to look a bit more presentable as the new guys would be looking up to him now and made his way towards the door.

"That sounds fine by me."

"That's good to hear. You're coming, right Lieutenant?"

"I'll be with you in a few moments, Preston," Aveline said, "Let me just show Dez to her room and I'll meet you in a few minutes at the armory."

"All right then." Preston nodded and left Aveline's house, Codsworth following suit.

A few seconds after they left, Dez glanced at Aveline.

"You are quite popular around here, you know that? Are there going to be any more interruptions?"

"No, I'm pretty sure we're safe from prying eyes at the moment," Aveline said and a mischievous grin formed on her lips, "which means it's safe to do this."

Aveline took a few steps towards Desdemona, closing the distance between them. Both her hands cupped Dez's face and she pulled her in for a sweet, tender kiss.

Desdemona closed her eyes as she returned Charmer's kiss, savoring the bliss she had been missing for the past weeks. They eventually broke away, but not before Aveline bit Dez's bottom lip for good measure.

"Hmmm, I see you do live up to your namesake, _Charmer_ ," Dez spoke wryly as she opened her eyes.

"What can I say, boss?" Aveline responded as she pecked Dez's cheek, "I aim to please." She took one of her boss' hands, and entwined their fingers together as Aveline started tugging Dez towards the stairs.

"Come on, I still gotta show you your room."

"Now I definitely wasn't expecting to be invited to stay at your house," Desdemona said.

Aveline turned to look at her, with a comically scandalous look on her face. "What? You think I'm gonna throw you over to the tavern or the common house? I have an extra room here for you stay in and I won't take no for an answer," she said with certain finality, hands on her hips for extra punctuation.

The Railroad Alpha couldn't help but chuckle. "Fine, lead the way, Charmer," she said, following Aveline up the stairs to her temporary quarters.

The guest room within Charmer's house contained a bed with a clean mattress, a trunk, a desk, along with a lamp and office chair for some comfortable late night work or reading. It was a small room but compared to the cramped and uncomfortable spaces underground at Railroad HQ, this room was the closest thing to a post-apocalyptic luxury suite for Dez.

"I'm pretty sure this is a five-star hotel room compared to the dirty mattress on the floor you usually have to sleep on," Aveline said.

"I guess that's one way of putting it," Desdemona responded as she reached out to caress Aveline's face, a hand gliding across her cheek and gently tracing the scar on Aveline's lip.

"You know…I was worried about you Charmer," Dez spoke as she then wrapped her arms around Aveline's neck. In response, Aveline wrapped her arms around Dez's waist, pulling her into an embrace.

"Is that so Dez? I thought you couldn't wait to get me out of your hair," Aveline responded and before Dez could say anything, she leaned in and once again, pressed her lips against Desdemona's. They started off with a slow, chaste kiss but then Dez reached up, cupping Charmer's face with both hands and started kissing her more hungrily.

Despite this moment of bliss, Aveline couldn't help but wonder what Nate would think of her if she were to move on and possibly with a woman, no less.

' _Cheeky bastard would probably be looking at us and say 'that's hot.'_ Aveline thought, remembering the night after graduation and the look on her then boyfriend's face when he walked into his dorm room to find his beloved Aveline and their best friend Olivia waiting for him. The two ladies proceeded to put on a hell of a show for Nate before inviting him for even more fun.

She started giggling and Dez broke the kiss, looking at Aveline with a raised eyebrow and a slight frown.

"Ugh, everything seems so funny to you," She said, though there was no trace of malice in her tone. This, however, only caused Aveline to giggle even more.

"I'm sorry," Aveline apologized as she tried to compose herself, "It's just…you look so cute when you get mad like that."

Desdemona scoffed at the idea of being called 'cute'. As if she were some starry eyed teenager who would swoon at whatever words of affection were sent her way.

"You know, you are quite possibly the most frustrating woman I have ever met in my entire life!" Dez retorted, "You are always looking to make a nuisance of yourself because you think you're some sort of comedian. Honestly, if it wasn't for the fact that you are one of my best agents, I would have-"

She was cut off when Aveline pulled her back into her arms, giving her a quick, chaste kiss.

" _And I hate the fact that that is what I love about you the most."_ Desdemona thought.

Aveline then took one of Dez's hands and raised it to her lips, planting a soft, wet kiss to the palm of the Alpha's hand.

Try as she might, Desdemona could not hide the fact that Aveline's tender act had her blushing. She leaned into her lover's embrace, resting her head by the crook of Aveline's neck.

"You don't mean that. You wouldn't have the heart to kick me out," Aveline said as she pressed a kiss to Desdemona's hair, "Besides, we both know you'd rather have me ruffle your hair a bit rather than the likes of Deacon."

 _Damn her. Damn her for being right._

Aveline reluctantly let go of Dez from her embrace. "Anyways, I'm already running a bit late so let's get back to business," Aveline said, clapping her hands together, "You can use this room for as long as you stay here in Sanctuary, boss lady. That trunk over by the bed has a few essentials," she continued speaking as Dez walked over to it, dropping her travel pack next to the trunk and opening it, seeing some additional clothing stored within, "I had the town seamstress place some new and fresh clothes in there, so you could throw the ones you're wearing now into the washbin downstairs. Codsworth's probably gonna stop by within the next hour to pick up dirty laundry, so I would suggest you clean up now. You can use my personal shower downstairs if you like."

"Hmm, I wasn't expecting you to pamper me like an honored guest," Dez said as she rummaged through the sets of clothes and eventually settled on a flannel shirt and jeans.

"Hey, you're the boss of the Railroad. You deserve a few nice perks considering all the shit you have to deal with on a daily basis," Aveline responded.

"I suppose I get treated to some fancy room service as well?" Desdemona joked.

"Sorry Dez. You're gonna have to walk over to the tavern if you want your gourmet meal."

"And, just like that, my dream vacation is ruined," she said in mock disappointment.

"Oh don't be like that, boss."

Dez watched as Aveline approached her with an extra sway to her hips and lean in close, feeling Aveline's breath on her ear.

"I can still treat you to a different kind of room service later on, if you like." She lingered there for a moment before nipping her earlobe.

Desdemona's face became red upon hearing Aveline's suggestion, but she got a hold of herself and leaned closer so Aveline could hear Dez whisper in her ear, "I'll hold you to that, Charmer," and pulled back, picking up her new clothes and went off to shower.

Dez went downstairs and found the bathroom. She laid her clothes on a counter and loosened her scarf, placing it in the laundry bin Charmer had mentioned earlier.

As Desdemona began undressing, she heard Charmer's footsteps as she climbed down the stairs and the sound of the front door opening and closing, indicating that Aveline had left the house. Once she freed herself of her undergarments, she stepped into the stall, turning the knobs to allow the water to flow freely above her. Desdemona sighed in relaxation as the water droplets flowed down her skin.

" _How long has it been since I've had a decent shower like this?"_ she thought. Probably since the Switchboard; after all, it had the basic commodities such as running water and shower stalls. But when they had to relocate to the Old North Church, things were…less luxurious. For the first few days after the surviving agents relocated, they had no choice but to use Tinker Tom's eye wash station to dump some water on themselves until he managed to jury rig a water pump by the escape tunnel.

Desdemona took some time to enjoy the comfort of the shower stall, basking in the comfortable feeling of the running water washing away the grime and feeling her tense body relax. Aveline had left her a bar of soap in the trunk of her room, which Dez used to scrub herself, enjoying the soft, lavender scent it left behind. After a while, she stepped out feeling slightly rejuvenated. Once she dried herself, brushed her hair and changed into her new clothes, Desdemona went back to her temporary room to search for a few things from her travel pack.

She took out her Railway Rifle and adjusted the sling, strapping it to her back and holstered her silenced 10mm pistol she usually carried around as a backup weapon. Even this far out in Sanctuary, Dez was still worried about the possibility of the Institute or any other unsavory elements snooping around, so precaution was necessary.

' _Better to have a gun and not need it, than to need it and not have it'_ her father would say as he gave her shooting lessons. Smart words to live by, especially if you wanted to last more than five minutes in a place as hostile as the wasteland.

Dez sighed as she took a clipboard with some notes and documents she had yet to go over. _"Now's not the time to go down memory lane,"_ she thought to herself as she zipped up her pack. Before she left though, there was something that caught her eye.

There was a note on the desk that Desdemona was sure it wasn't there a few minutes ago. She picked it up and found Charmer's familiar elegant handwriting.

 _Boss Lady_

 _I'm with Preston to give some greenhorns a tour of the armory, so I won't be around for now. But once I'm done, I want you to meet me at the tavern after 8:00pm. Maybe we could call it a date, huh?_

 _Your favorite agent_

Desdemona snorted after she read the note. Aveline was almost acting like a ridiculous love-struck teenager, no doubt to tease her and Dez couldn't help but find it endearing.

'I suppose we have a date then, Charmer,' Desdemona muttered to herself as she made her way down the stairs and out of Aveline's home, into Sanctuary.


	3. Chapter 3: Undisclosed Desires

_A/N: As the name of the chapter implies, I drew some inspiration for this chapter while listening to 'Undisclosed Desires' and 'Resistance' by Muse (though I feel that Undisclosed Desires seems to be the go-to song for almost every ship in almost every fandom, and as for 'Resistance', some of the lyrics seem to fit the idea I had on how Dez would feel about her relationship with Charmer as you will see further down the chapter. Both are just damn good songs)._

 _Additionally, be advised that this chapter contains smut. T_ _his is the first time I've ever written smut and I would be lying if I said I don't feel a bit nervous about how the chapter came out._

 _I also have to say that this a slightly edited version of the chapter I posted on AO3. The AO3 version is slightly longer and has a tad bit more smutty content, so if anyone's interested, you can look it up there too. Now, onward to the third chapter!  
_

Desdemona found Tinker Tom already hard at work on the relay when she walked over to the construction site. Aveline's other friend, Sturges, was there as well, no doubt keeping an eye on the Railroad technician, holding onto an assorted pile of scrap.

" _Tom may be eccentric, but the man's a genius when it comes to tech,"_ Dez thought to herself as she made herself comfortable on a nearby bench. She pulled out her favorite pair of eyeglasses and wore them to allow her reading experience to be less tedious. At least Dr. Carrington wouldn't have to worry about her eyesight going bad any time soon. One less thing for him to complain about was a win-win for everybody else at HQ.

As the technicians kept working on the relay, Dez kept herself busy with a few reports she had been reviewing during her journey to Sanctuary and had yet to finish up. Most were just scouting reports, tourists keeping an eye out on the movements of Brotherhood soldiers, local raiders and the occasional synth patrol.

Desdemona turned the pages to find a message from Mr. Tims. She adjusted her glasses as she tried to make something of his chicken-scratch handwriting. Apparently, his runner had found a new place to consider setting up shop after they had abandoned Randolph safehouse, Kingsport Lighthouse. There was just one problem though… the lighthouse was currently occupied by the Children of Atom.

" _Things can never be easy, can they?"_ she thought with a sigh.

Desdemona had lost quite a few agents and even a Heavy or two to those radiation worshipping maniacs over the years. She hated contemplating the idea but if the Railroad intended to secure Kingsport, then she would have no choice but to send either Charmer or Glory to mop up the place, since they could be counted on to handle the high-risk operations and come back in one piece. But Charmer already had a lot on her plate for Dez to just pick her up and throw her into another den of rabid wolves.

Dez set aside the request. She might give her approval, but not at this moment.

She looked up again to find Sturges walking past her, toolbox in hand. He bade her a good afternoon as he made his way to fulfill his responsibilities as Sanctuary's handyman. She returned the courtesy and looked at Tom, who had immersed himself to the job at hand.

Desdemona stifled a yawn as she took her rifle and placed it vertically on the ground. There was no one around here at the moment, so they hopefully wouldn't mind her putting her feet up on the bench and lying on her back as she stared at the sky. This moment of peace would probably be the only one she will get until they return once more unto the breach.

Time flew by pretty quickly and as the sun set and the evening came around, many of Sanctuary's inhabitants made their way to the local tavern after their shifts ended for their evening dinner and a hearty drink. Charmer and Preston were still busy and since there wasn't anything better to do, Desdemona decided she would follow the settler's example and get a drink of her own. Not like it was every day that she could kick back and relax, so she was going to make the most of her stay in Sanctuary.

Neon lights spelled out 'The Drunken Huntsman' above the entrance to the tavern.

" _I'm guessing there's a good story to that,"_ she thought to herself with a chuckle.

The smell of cooked Brahmin and fried tatoes lingered in the air of the tavern as Dez made her way in. Tables were filled to capacity with settlers, drifters and guardsmen sharing drinks or having an enjoyable dinner. She found a few empty stools by the counter where the barkeep was and sat down on one of them. The barkeep gave her a glance and walked over to her.

"Evening ma'am," he greeted, "The name's Aaron. How can I help you?"

"Mind telling me what drinks you have in stock?" Dez asked.

"Well, right now we're just out of vodka, but I've still got whiskey, bourbon and wine. If you're looking for something stronger, I have some of that Bobrov moonshine as well, but that'll cost extra."

"I'll settle for some bourbon for now," she responded.

As the barkeep went to fetch her drink, Desdemona couldn't help but feel like this place was familiar. Not specifically Sanctuary, but this scenario. Sitting in a bar, wanting nothing more than to ease her stress after a long day. As the barkeep placed a glass of cold bourbon in front of her, she remembered. She had met Sam in place like this.

" _Oh, Sam."_

"You're here early and already drinking without me? Dez, why would you hurt me like this?"

Desdemona was startled by the familiar voice of a certain loving and annoying agent. She couldn't help but smile a little, taking her glass and downing the liquid in one shot, as Aveline took a seat next to her.

"I just got here right now. Did you finish up whatever business you had with the Minutemen?" Dez asked.

"Yeah. At least this batch of recruits weren't as completely clueless as the others we usually get," she said as she smiled that charming smile and turned her attention to the barkeep, "Hey Aaron! Put the lady's drinks on my tab," Charmer said.

"You know Strauss, if you really want to get in a lady's good graces, I would recommend that you buy her dinner as well," Aaron said.

"Okay, now you're just trying to sucker me out a few caps, aren't you?"

"No, I'm trying to teach you how to treat your lady friends right. If I get some caps out of it, then it's just a bonus," Aaron said with a cheeky grin.

"Hey, I'm a lady too. Doesn't someone get to pay for my dinner too?" Aveline challenged.

"Well, I do recall having offered you and your friends drinks and food on the house, as my way of thanking you for giving everyone here a job and a place to sleep in, but you specifically rejected my offer with, and I quote, _'I appreciate the sentiment but I don't want special treatment. You will charge me the same prices as the rest of Sanctaury's citizens.'_ That redhead Irish friend of yours looked like she wanted to drown you in the Brahmin feeding trough when you rejected the free booze," he retorted with a chuckle.

"So I did say that…" she grinned sheepishly.

"Aveline," Desdemona interjected, "Don't tell me you're a cheapskate. To think that you invited me on this date and you're already leaving a bad impression," she said in a mocking tone.

A look of mock dismay spread across Charmer's face as the barkeep laughed.

"Ha! She got you there, kid," Aaron chuckled before glancing at the door that led to the kitchen, "Rosa! I need two more steaks with a side of tatoes out here!"

"On it!" A voice which could be assumed to be Rosa's called out from the kitchen.

Desdemona for the first time in many years could feel herself relax and enjoy the environment. It was her and agent Charmer sitting in a bar and enjoying each other's company, something they rarely get to do with the constant stress they endure, and the concerns about how every minute could be their last.

After a few minutes, dinner arrived and Dez found it so goddamn good. She was already sick of having to eat slightly irradiated canned food that she had packed with her for the past few days.

An hour had gone by after they finished their dinner, but Dez and Aveline stayed at the counter, now with drinks in hand, and chatting away with Aaron the barkeep. Well, Charmer and Aaron did most of the chatting, while Dez just listened. She still had her Railroad habits and she preferred it when little to no questions were thrown her way.

"Okay Aaron, I've been putting off this question for a long time since I let you run this place and I gotta ask," Aveline said as she downed another shot of whiskey, "Why did you name this place 'The Drunken Huntsman'? Don't get me wrong. It's more creative than 'Sanctuary Inn' or 'Sanctuary Tavern', but I'm guessing there's a good story behind this." She passed her glass over to Aaron, "By the way, give me another."

Aaron filled up the glass with more whiskey and passed it back to Aveline.

"I see no harm in it," he responded, "It all started with an alcohol fueled discussion I had with my brother Eric a few years back," the barkeep said, "We used to make ends meet being hunters. We brought in mole rats, radstag, brahmin and the times we were well equipped, we would score some yao guai."

"My brother used one of these syringer rifles and these special lock-joint syringes on our bigger prey, while I would run up to them and hack them apart with a machete. Cleaner cuts meant more meat and profits as the animals wouldn't have been filled with bullets."

"Well, on one of our hunting excursions we went out at midnight to a nearby field, hoping we could catch a few radstags by surprise as they slept hidden amongst the grass and trees. I was initially against it because Eric, the drunken fool, got himself hammered before setting out, but I gave in. We couldn't let a good score like that get away from us."

"So I go on ahead and get myself in position in between a few bushes and they were there. At least a dozen radstags just snoozing off in the middle of a clearing. Just as I was about to signal my brother to get in position, I suddenly felt something jab me at my backside and next thing I know, I couldn't move a single muscle in my body. My dumbass brother must've thought I was a doe or a mole rat, because he shot me with a lock-joint syringe that landed on my ass."

Desdemona nearly choked on her drink as Aveline laughed heartily at the barkeep's tale.

"I'm guessing you didn't get the radstags?" she asked.

"Nope. I just started yelling and cursing my brother and the radstags woke up and fled. One of them even ran up to me and kicked me while I was down before it fled. I couldn't feel a thing for a good minute until I started regaining control of my body. I wanted to club the idiot but I figured we would settle the matter with a round of drinks and never speaking about this again. Though we did agree that should we ever open a business one day, we would name it 'The Drunken Huntsman'."

Aveline continued to laugh as she took another shot of whiskey. "So, where is your brother?"

"Well, he's not around anymore. He got drunk one day and ended up blowing himself up along with a yao guai he was hunting down."

The smiles on Aveline's and Dez's face disappeared, replaced with a sad expression instead.

"Oh…wow, that's not funny. Not funny at all," Aveline lamented, staring at the bottom of her glass.

Aaron sighed. "I know, but at least he died doing what he loved. Drinking, hunting and tinkering with explosives. Hell, he died doing all three at the same time. Not many people get the luxury of dying on their terms here in the wastes," Aaron took a glass for himself and poured some whiskey. He then refilled Aveline's cup with more whiskey and Dez's with some leftover bourbon.

"A toast to my idiot brother and the Drunken Huntsman," the barkeep said as he downed the shot. Aveline and Desdemona followed suit, downing their respective glasses.

Minutes went by until they both decided they had enough drinks for a night. They weren't overly tipsy, both women being able to hold their liquor quite well. But they were quite eager to head back to Aveline's homestead.

Aveline unlocked the door and ushered in Dez while giggling to herself.

As soon as the door was locked, Aveline was on her, pushing her boss against the wall of her living room, kissing her passionately, hungrily, leaving her with little room to breathe as Aveline's tongue pushed past Desdemona's lips. She tasted bourbon and cigarettes as their tongues dueled one another for dominance.

At the same time, Aveline's hands went to Dez's flannel shirt, quickly unbuttoning it as her lips pulled away from Dez's mouth to leave kisses along her jawline, heading a little lower as more of Desdemona's skin was revealed.

Dez threw her head back when she felt Aveline nip at her collarbone, giving her better access and hissed when her lover bit down on a sweet spot on her neck. Her hands made their way to Aveline's back, nails raking the leather of her jacket as she continued her ministrations, palming Dez's breasts through her bra as she placed a wet kiss in the valley between them.

Desdemona was already panting, feeling warmth pool in the pit of her stomach and between her thighs as Aveline continued to mark her body with lips and tongue, soft lips tenderly brushing against the various faded scars and bruises on her torso.

Aveline pulled away for a moment to unzip and shrug off her jacket and the ballistic vest she wore underneath, leaving on a thin, white t-shirt, and returned her attention to Desdemona, cupping her face and placing one more loving kiss to her lips before settling for gazing into her eyes. She took a moment to admire her handiwork, relishing in the look of Dez's flushed cheeks, dilated pupils, swollen lips and soft panting.

Desdemona blinked a few times, wondering if this was some sort of dream or if this was really happening.

She had already fantasized about sharing a moment like this with Aveline, especially on her more lonely and restless nights. This wasn't their first time together but it was the first time their intimacy felt almost…romantic. The handful of times they've previously had intercourse could be described as five minute quickies in some dark corner of the Old North Church that were more about stress relief rather than romantic desire.

Dez never thought she would feel this kind of connection with anyone ever again. Between her responsibilities in the Railroad, eventually assuming its leadership and the torch she had carried for Sam for many years, Desdemona had never truly contemplated the idea of taking up another partner. But Charmer had changed that.

Her feelings for Aveline brought her some semblance of comfort, moments where she could drop her guard just a little, enough to show Charmer that beneath her tough exterior, there was a woman who longed to be free from all the burdens she carried since the day she became the leader of the Railroad.

Desdemona did not break eye contact with Aveline, even as her breath hitched as one of her lover's hands began to trail down her body, over the plain of her stomach and trying to snake its way beneath the waistband of her jeans.

However, something else began to gnaw at the back of Desdemona's mind.

She realized she was getting too attached to Aveline and if they continued this act and gave themselves to each other fully, there would be no turning back. The idea of committing to a relationship at what could possibly the Railroad's most crucial hour was…worrisome. It scared her because it went against everything she taught herself and brought doubts and newer fears to light.

Romantic entanglement, for all of its pleasures, was a most unwise move. While there weren't any rules against fraternization within the Railroad (agents needed to unwind from time to time), Dez was their leader and she couldn't afford that kind of distraction as surely it could affect her decision-making skills. The Railroad had suffered enough setbacks and she would not want to be held responsible for its downfall simply because she couldn't keep her emotions in check.

It was a dangerous game she would be playing. But still, she loved her. Loved her almost just as much as she loved Sam all those years ago and Desdemona cursed the fact that with love also came fear. The fear that Aveline, her Charmer, might not come back alive one of these days.

And it would be all her fault. Aveline would end up dead one of these days because she keeps throwing her into impossible situations almost every week.

"Dez…are you okay?" Aveline asked softly, having noticed Desdemona's hesitation.

She looked down from Aveline's gaze and heaved a sigh, ignoring her question. She didn't know what to say or do to deal with this.

' _Do the right thing,'_ Desdemona thought to herself, _'Call it off. This is no time to mess around with one of your agents. You of all people know there will never be a happy ending, especially with the Institute around. You learned that the hard way with Sam.'_

She heard Aveline sigh and let go of her. Dez suddenly felt a bit cold and vulnerable without her touch.

"It's okay. I understand," she said, with a slight hint of sadness.

"No, you don't," Dez responded.

"Don't I?" Aveline bit back, this time with a bitter tone to her voice, "I shouldn't have overstepped my boundaries. The Railroad and its mission come first after all."

Those words stung Desdemona like a knife to the chest. Aveline must've noticed because her brief flare of anger quickly dissipated into something akin to resignation.

"I'm sorry," she apologized before turning her back to Dez, "I'll…I'll just go to bed. Maybe we could talk in the morning."

Dez found herself frozen in place, unable or unwilling to make a move as Aveline headed for the stairs.

' _Let her go. Personal sacrifices are sometimes necessary.'_

'… _But I've already sacrificed too much.'_

Desdemona realized a decision had to be made now. She felt that most of her available options would only bring hurt and regret. But she could at least enjoy the present and treasure the moment.

In a few quick steps, she closed the distance with Aveline, reaching out and grabbing her by the wrist. The blonde woman looked up and blue eyes met hazel ones. The look on Dez's eyes was no longer one of sorrow or indecision, rather it showed determination.

"Desdemona?"

Dez didn't say anything as she tugged Aveline towards her and pulled her into an embrace. She wanted this and she was not going to turn back now.

With a slight tilt of her head, her lips brushed tenderly against Aveline's and the other woman responded by placing one hand to the back of Dez's neck, pulling her in to deepen the kiss.

"I want this," Desdemona said in between kisses, "I want _**us**_." She pulled away momentarily to look Aveline in the eye. "But it also scares me. I've lost too many people I came to care for over the years. I don't want to lose anyone else in the Railroad, but I don't want to lose you either."

Their foreheads touched and a coy smile spread on Dez's lips.

"Besides, you did make a promise. Something about room service?"

An ear to ear grin appeared on Aveline's face; no doubt her mind had wandered into naughty territory.

Without saying a word, she took Dez's hand and led her up the stairs, passing by the guest room, making her way to the master bedroom instead.

Aveline nipped at Desdemona's shoulder as her hands move to slide off the flannel shirt she wore and threw it aside. She then reached for the hem of her own undershirt and with a little help from Dez, pulled it over her head, revealing the lace bra she wore underneath.

They both took a moment to admire each other's toned bodies, though Aveline was slightly more fit than Dez due to being constantly out in the field and all the equipment she carried around.

She then walked past Dez, winking at her, as she went for one of the dressers in her room, opening a drawer and pulling out an extra bed sheet and a towel. Desdemona had a puzzled look on her face as Aveline placed the bed sheet on one side of the mattress and then the towel over it.

Aveline sensed Dez's curiosity, but made nothing of it, only giving her a sly smirk as response to the puzzled look on the Railroad leader.

"Listen. I need to get something from downstairs. While I do that, I want you to get comfortable and lie down on your stomach on top of the sheets and towel I placed. Just trust me on this one." And with that, the blonde woman scurried off eagerly back to the staircase.

Desdemona pulled off her jeans and boots and then reached behind her back to unhook her bra, throwing it aside where the rest of her clothes lay. She remained in her panties and proceeded to do as Aveline ordered, climbing onto her lover's bed and lying down on her stomach.

As she made herself comfortable, resting her head on some soft pillows, she heard Aveline's footsteps coming back into the room, the door being shut and the click of a lock, as if to make sure nobody would disturb them.

Aveline walked over and climbed onto the bed, getting herself in position, her legs at each side of Desdemona's waist and poured some oil onto her hands.

With Curie's help, she managed to craft some massage oil out of hubflower extract and a couple of other stuff that Aveline didn't bother paying attention to because of all the scientific terminology Curie used. All that mattered was that the oil smelled quite nice considering how radiation screwed up much of the local flora and it helped with easing the strain and tension in her muscles.

Massages had always helped ease stress back in her old life. Nathan was always there to tend to her body whenever she came back all tired and tense from stressful court cases and in turn, she had also helped Nathan relax whenever he was on leave, easing the stress from his aching muscles.

And considering all the strain and tension that Dez most likely endured all her years, a massage would do wonders for her.

"Are you comfy yet, boss?" Aveline asked, rolling her hips to coax a response from Desdemona.

"Just what are you up to now, Charmer?" Dez asked, turning her head to the side, glancing sideways to catch a glimpse of the woman sitting atop her back. She couldn't fully see what her lover was doing but feeling drops of liquid on her shoulders definitely had her curious.

Aveline giggled playfully. "Nothing much, darling. I promise you'll like it!"

"Hmph. I know you're never up to any good when you giggle like th-" Dez couldn't finish as her breath hitched when she felt a pair of soft, oily hands on her shoulders.

Aveline began to move her hands, spreading the oil across Dez's skin and went to work on the knots in her shoulders. The shoulders were always a good place to start, as it was the part of the body that accumulates the most stress at times. And in Desdemona's case, the woman was constantly hunched over her desk at HQ. She would find plenty of pressure points to take care of there.

Desdemona gave a relaxed sigh and buried her head deeper into the pillow.

" _Whatever it is she's doing, it feels so good…"_ Dez thought to herself as she melted under Aveline's hands, _"Oh…Good God, I needed that,"_ she mentally praised as her lover's thumbs applied pressure on various points across her shoulders.

Aveline was enjoying this, seeing Desdemona become putty beneath her hands. She moved from Dez's shoulders to her upper arms, kneading the flesh there, setting up a rhythm as her hands moved back on forth from her shoulders to her arms. After a few minutes, she moved lower, running her hands up and down along the sides of Dez's back, causing Desdemona to purr in approval at the sensation of Aveline's fingers working her body _("Wait, wait, wait…did I hear Dez purr?!" she silently questioned herself in amazement_ ).

Aveline started to think that she would've been quite the professional masseuse if it wasn't for her career as a lawyer.

She kept a similar rhythm working on the Alpha's back, sliding her hands up and down, moving in circles as she cupped and kneaded flesh and muscle.

Desdemona was unsure how much time had gone by with this activity but damn if her body wasn't starting to feel brand new. Honestly, she believed she might have made the right decision after all, especially if she could get Aveline to tend to her like this. However, at that moment, Aveline had pulled her hands away.

Dez whimpered at the loss of contact from her partner's fingers only to groan in approval when she felt Aveline's lips kissing the back of her neck.

"Enjoying yourself, Dez?" she asked with a smug tone.

"You have no idea," Dez responded, reaching an arm behind her to caress Aveline's face, knuckles brushing against her cheek, "Was this how room service worked in prewar hotels?" she asked.

"Oh no, nothing like this. Not as fun as what I had in mind."

From the corner of her eyes, Dez could see the sultry smile that formed on Aveline's lips.

"Really? What did you have in mind then?"

"Something…" Aveline began as she suddenly flipped Desdemona on her back, "…like this." She immediately dipped her head and bit down on Dez's collarbone, eliciting a pained groan from the Railroad Alpha and leaving a red mark there. She then planted a soft kiss where she bit, a pattern she began to use across Dez's body. Bite hard, and then soothe the area with quick licks and tender kisses.

Aveline moved up to kiss Desdemona on her lips while her hands moved behind her own back, unclasping her bra, both women now in only their underwear.

She began working her way down the Alpha's body, placing kisses across the firm mounds and palmed them with her hands as her lips moved lower, past her navel and towards her thighs.

Dez lifted her head a bit to look at Aveline, who was already between her legs. The woman in question met her gaze, silently asking for permission to continue.

Dez lifted her hips to help Charmer pull off her underwear and she felt her skin flush with heat as she realized she was completely exposed. It seemed silly but all of a sudden, she felt self-conscious with her body.

The last person she bared herself for was Sam and that was over more than a decade ago, long before she even ended up in the Railroad. There were a handful of scars and bruises, old and new, scattered across her torso. She didn't dare look at Aveline, afraid to see that the other woman might be having second thoughts.

"You're beautiful."

And that took Dez completely by surprise. She slowly turned to look at Aveline and she was greeted by the most sincere smile she's ever seen, one that sent her heart fluttering.

It was official. Dez was completely lost for this woman.

Desdemona sat up and wrapped her arms around Aveline, pulling her in for a passionate kiss, tongues fighting for control, a fight that Aveline ended up winning. Meanwhile, she wrapped an arm around the small of Dez's back while her other hand made it's way to her thighs.

Desdemona bucked her hips as she felt Aveline's hand down there, heat immediately flushing through her body down to her center. She let out a loud moan and gripped the bed sheets when Aveline started stroking her with a finger.

She watched from time to time, gauging Dez's reactions to her ministrations. Aveline saw Dez's eyes roll to the back of her head before she leaned forward, resting her head on Aveline's shoulder, heavy breathing sending pleasant vibrations through her body. She then added another finger into her center.

She could feel it. Dez was almost at the edge.

 _Almost there. Any moment now…_

She suddenly curved her fingers into a come-hither motion as she found the sweet spot she was searching for.

That was all she needed to do as Desdemona cried Aveline's name through clenched teeth and her body writhed uncontrollably on the bed. Aveline pulled her fingers out and moved up to embrace Desdemona, cuddling her as the aftershocks of her orgasm faded.

As Desdemona relaxed and her breathing became soft again, Aveline got up to take a better look at her boss and lover. Her eyes roved over the flushed skin of her Desdemona's body, ginger hair splayed out, and her continuous panting and Aveline couldn't help but feel a swelling amount of pride that even after more than two centuries had gone by, she still knew how to please a woman.

Desdemona slowly opened her eyes, in time to watch Charmer crawl over her body until they were at face level with each other. Aveline dipped her head and kissed her, to which Dez responded hungrily, seeking more contact with her beloved agent.

"Mmm, that…that was wonderful, my dear," Desdemona said as she stroked Aveline's hair.

"Just 'wonderful'?" Aveline flashed a cheeky grin, which caused Desdemona to roll her eyes in response.

"Fine, it was mind-blowingly amazing. Happy now?"

"Very." Aveline smiled at Dez and pecked her on the forehead. She lay down and nuzzled next to Desdemona, fingers tracing circles on the woman's pale skin.

She failed to notice the devious glint in Dez's eyes and yelped in surprise when she found herself lying on her back, the Railroad Alpha straddling her waist. Desdemona took both of Aveline's hands and placed them above her head, pinning them down with a single firm grasp.

"Hey! I'm the one in charge here!"

"Not anymore, you're not. It's your turn now," Dez said as she kept her grip on Aveline's wrists as the woman started squirming beneath her.

Dez's free hand began to roam across Aveline's body, tracing random patterns across the woman's lightly tanned skin. The blonde continued to resist the other woman's touch but it was a half-hearted attempt, if Aveline's constant giggling was anything to go by.

As much as she wanted to memorize every inch of her agent's body, Dez felt slightly worn out, so she would have to do this quickly. She let go of Aveline's wrists and reached for the waistband of the blonde woman's panties, pulling them down her hips, revealing her smooth, glistening sex.

Desdemona leaned down, pressing her body against Aveline's as one of her fingers began to trace edges of the other woman's slit. Aveline shuddered at the teasing touch.

"Mmm, stop…Dez, stop teasing me already an-mmmph!" Dez kissed her roughly to stifle a loud moan as her middle finger plunged into Aveline's core, moving back and forth, and soon a second finger joined in, reveling in the feel of warm, silky walls clenching around her intruding fingers.

Aveline began bucking her hips into Desdemona's hand, her own holding tightly to Dez's shoulders. She felt intense warmth gather in the pit of her stomach and she began craving more of her lover's touch. She was already getting close to the edge, albeit a little quicker than usual. Might have something to do with not having been intimate in over two centuries, locked in a freezer all that time, that might have made her more sensitive. Coupled with the massage and pleasure she gave Dez a few minutes ago and she felt slightly tired out.

It didn't take long when she felt Desdemona's fingers curve inside of her, imitating her earlier methods, and she let out a high pitched scream as she came undone.

Dez quickly clamped a hand over Aveline's mouth, worried that all of Sanctuary might have heard that. After a few more pumps to help her ride out the aftershocks, Desdemona pulled her fingers out and wiped them clean on the towel that she was resting on during the massage session.

For a moment, they both laid there, panting and heavily breathing, bodies slick with sweat. Desdemona rolled over to Aveline's side as the latter reached for some blankets to cover themselves with from the nighttime breeze.

As they made themselves comfortable, Aveline stared into Desdemona's eyes as she took one of her hands and entwined their fingers. Her heart skipped a beat when she felt Dez give her hand a gentle squeeze before placing a kiss on her knuckles.

"No regrets?" was all Aveline asked.

"None at all," Desdemona responded, with a warm smile of her own.

The two ladies held onto each other as sleep overtook them and for the first time in a long while, they slumbered peacefully, having cast aside their worries of the outside world, if only for one night.


	4. Chapter 4: Faith and Determination

_A/N: This chapter was around 90% complete by the time I posted the previous chapter, so I figured I would finish it up and post it immediately._

 _In the meantime, I'm going to take a small break as I begin gathering ideas and drafting the next few chapters. The story will be slowly start to pick up soon and I don't want to burn myself out with writers block._

 _So enjoy!_

 _..._

The early light of morning roused them from their slumber. Aveline was the first to wake up, slowly opening her eyes and covering her mouth to stifle a yawn. She looked beside her to find Desdemona cuddled up beneath her other arm, one of her hands splayed across Aveline's chest

Aveline moved a little to untangle their legs and Dez opened her eyes, looking at the woman who had just woke her up.

"Morning, Dez," Aveline greeted with a big smile on her face.

"Good morning, Charmer." Desdemona looked right back at her with a warm smile of her own as Aveline wrapped an arm around her shoulders, bringing her closer, while Dez nestled her head into the crook of her lover's neck.

It was strange to see Desdemona like this, so relaxed, so comfortable, and so satisfied, a stark contrast to the usual tense and stressed-out Dez back at HQ. They were both a bit wary of dropping their guard like this, but despite their worries, this just felt so right.

"You know, Dez. I've been thinking…"

"Hmm?"

"Is Carrington's desk as comfortable as Artemis says it is? We need to see for ourselves one day."

Desdemona stared at Aveline with a slightly scandalous look on her face and lightly slapped her on the chest. She responded by leaning down and pulling Dez into a slow and tender kiss that gradually became more heated as Dez parted her lips and Aveline's tongue made its way in. Eventually, they both pulled back to breathe and settled into just gazing into each other's eyes.

"You know that would just piss him off, right Charmer?"

"The guy's always pissed off. At least we would be giving him a reason, right?"

Dez chuckled as she shook her head in disbelief. "I can't believe I'm actually contemplating the idea," she moved up and pecked her lover on the nose, "You're becoming quite the bad influence on me, Charmer."

As she looked into Aveline's eyes, Desdemona realized that she has never felt so relaxed, so…alive, in many years.

Well, she had to admit her body was sore and aching, but all the pleasure gained from last night's activities made her feel young again and god it was so worth it.

It had been almost a decade since she's had another partner, all those years before…when she had Sam. Desdemona had almost forgotten what it was like to share someone else's company on a more intimate scale. To wake up in the morning and finding yourself cuddled close to someone you deeply cared for.

Dez slightly frowned as her mind wandered to memories of happier times before the Railroad, but before she could completely lose herself in thought, she felt Charmer's hands cup her face and pull her in for another languid kiss.

Desdemona took the initiative to go further as she pulled away from Aveline's lips to press a kiss to her cheek, and then continued to kiss and nip across her jaw and down on her collarbone.

"Jeez, Dez. Are you getting frisky again? I figured-" She was cut off when Desdemona placed a finger on her lips and looked at her with narrowed eyes.

"Shh," she breathed as she cupped Charmer's face and gave her a quick kiss, "Stop talking."

Aveline didn't miss the lustful gleam in her lover's eyes and she hissed in response to the contact her lover's lips made on her skin. She gripped the bed sheets and stifled a moan when Dez's teeth latched on to a particular sweet spot on Charmer's neck. The blonde agent could feel warmth once again pool around her thighs as Desdemona's lips slowly approached her breasts, hands already caressing the soft mounds.

She was already peppering light kisses across the soft flesh, when a knock on the door interrupted them.

"Hey Charmer!" Tom's voice was heard behind the door, "You in there?"

" _Oh, you have_ _ **got**_ _to be kidding me!"_

Desdemona let out a frustrated groan. Tom damn well better have a good reason for interrupting them.

"I am going to strangle him," Dez muttered to under her breath and looked to Aveline, who seemed to be equally irritated by the interruption, "For fuck's sake. What does he want?" she whispered.

"I don't know! What I do want to know is what is he doing in my house!" Aveline whispered back and turned her attention to the door.

"Uh, Tom. Who sent you here?" she asked.

"Oh, that robot butler of yours said you were stayin' here with one your friends," Tom explained, "I thought it might be Dez since her travel pack's in the other room, but she's not there. I just wanted to know if you knew where I could find her."

Aveline sighed and turned to look at Desdemona with a raised eyebrow.

"Should I tell him?" she quietly asked.

"Do it and the Institute will be the least of your worries," Dez whispered back, narrowing her eyes at Charmer.

"Ugh, fine."

"Sorry, Tom. No idea where she is. She might have taken a walk. Or maybe she's by the riverbank, being all broody and shit. You know how she is," Aveline responded with a grin, ignoring the head-drilling glare that Desdemona fixed on her.

Her light hearted answer seemed to have no reassuring effect on Tom.

"Oh shit, this is bad," Tom's voice turned a bit panicky, "What…what if she was taken by the Institute while we were off doin' our own thing?"

"Oh, she's taken all right. But not by the Institute," Aveline said with a smug tone as Dez groaned in annoyance.

She should've known better that the thinly veiled innuendo would fly over Tom's head.

"Shiiiit! She must've been taken by aliens then. I knew those little green bastards would come for us one of these days!"

Both women facepalmed.

"I'm **very** sure she wasn't abducted by aliens either," Aveline said, trying really hard to hide the annoyed tone in her voice.

"Come on, Tom. We've already gone over this. You know as long as I'm around, I wouldn't let anything happen to the boss," she reached for one of Dez's hands and entwined their fingers together as she continued, "Like I said, she's probably out for a walk or getting breakfast or something. Give her ten minutes and I'm sure she'll show up somewhere in the settlement."

"Alright alright," Tom sounded a little more relaxed at Aveline's reassurances, "It's just that I wanted to let the both of y'all to know that I've been workin' all night on the molecular relay and that baby is good to go. Just need to make some tweaks and you'll be paying a visit to the Institute by the afternoon."

"Oh well, that's great…wait a minute. You were up all night working on that thing?!"

"C'mon girl. With a little coffee, Overdrive and X-Cell, I can work magic! Institute ain't ever catchin' me off guard!" Tinker Tom proudly exclaimed.

Aveline mouthed a 'what the fuck?!' to Desdemona, while she just shrugged in response, "Well, if you see Dez, tell her to stop by the teleporter. I'll be seein' you later, Charmer!" Tom said, with the sounds of his footsteps growing fainter and after a few moments, Aveline heard the door shut downstairs.

Dez got up from the bed, picking up her jeans and fishing through its pockets for a pack of cigarettes.

"Jesus! How the hell is that man still alive?" Aveline asked her.

Dez was more focused on finding her pack of smokes, plucking two cigarettes from the pack, placing one in between her lips and giving the other one to Aveline.

"I don't know. I gave up on finding out after the first month he joined us," Desdemona responded as she slipped back under the bed sheets and lit both cigs with her lighter. She took a long drag from it and blew smoke in Charmer's direction.

"So, I guess it's done then," Dez said, breaking the initial silence as she rested her head on Aveline's shoulder and stared at the ceiling, "If the relay is truly working, you'll leave for the Institute right away?"

She knew it was a dumb question and didn't know what compelled her to ask it, but she couldn't help but worry. She didn't want to send Aveline away so quickly; especially on what could be her most dangerous mission yet, one that she might not return from.

"Yes," her heart sank a bit at Charmer's confirmation, "As soon as the relay's working, I'll make the necessary preparations. I don't know what I'll be expecting there but nothing the Institute throws at me will stop me from finding my son."

She took several more puffs of her cigarette before she sat up and stubbed it on an ashtray on Aveline's nightstand. She turned to look at Aveline and her mind wandered again. The logical part of her mind chided her, still clinging to the belief that this relationship was a mistake and it would only put the Railroad's survival in jeopardy. But, if it was a mistake, why did it feel so right?

Deep down, Desdemona couldn't bear the thought of losing her, not after all the secrets they've confided in each other in the past weeks, not after the night they shared, and definitely not after she became the light in her darkened world. She felt movement on the bed and glanced at her lover, who sat up as well and rested against the headboard.

"Then…at least promise me that you'll be careful while you're there," Dez told her.

Aveline looked at her with a serious expression, "I…I don't think I can," she said, "Could you? Could you promise me that you'll be careful? That you'll be safe? With the Institute breathing down your neck while I'm gone?"

Dez had to admit she got her with that one. She sighed as she dropped her gaze from the woman beside her.

"No…no, I couldn't," she responded in defeat.

Aveline placed a hand on Desdemona's cheek and turned her head so they could see each other eye-to-eye. As much as the Railroad leader tried to hide it, there was a clear expression of concern on her face. She moved her hand to the back of Dez's neck, pulling her in for a quick kiss.

"It sucks to be realistic sometimes, but I'm about to go into the heart of the Commonwealth's boogeyman," Aveline spoke, "Desdemona, I hope you understand that I can't promise you that I'll be careful or that I won't get hurt. But what I can say is, if shit hits the fan, I'll fight like hell against anything they throw at me, because I know I have people here waiting for me. I'll do everything I can to come back to you and the rest of our dysfunctional little family that I know as the Railroad."

Dez figured that Aveline seemed to shy away from saying the 'three dangerous words' and would look for other ways to express how much she loved her. Dez loved her as well, and fortunately, they understood each other enough that if they needed to reassure one another about their feelings, well…

Actions spoke louder than words after all.

Desdemona leaned in, picking up where she left off, planting kisses around Aveline's neck and shoulder. Aveline giggled at Dez's ministrations.

"Seriously, what are you up to now, boss?" She asked innocently, followed by a not so innocent gasp as Dez bit down on her shoulder. Dez stopped for a moment so she could climb onto Aveline's lap, straddling her and wrapping her arms around the woman's's neck. She still had it in her for one more round and she was going to make sure that Aveline remembers their time on this bed.

"You sure about this?" Aveline asked as she placed her hands on Dez's hips, "I'm all for it but what if Tom-" She was interrupted when Dez's lips smashed onto hers.

"Forget Tom," she said as one of her hands snaked down Aveline's body, making its way between the woman's thighs, "You're not getting out of here for the next ten minutes."

Aveline looked at her with a raised eyebrow and cheeky grin.

"Is that-ah…an order, boss lady?" she asked.

"You're damn right it is, Charmer."

...

By midday, Aveline was standing before a cracked mirror in her room, the reflection showing off her new gear. She switched out her Atom Cat's outfit for some army fatigues (which also came equipped with a ballistic vest) and a full set of Mark II Combat Armor, which was even sturdier (and heavier) than the Mark I.

Full armor had become almost obsolete to Aveline ever since Tinker Tom gave her diagrams and instructions on how to outfit standard clothing with ballistic weave, which seemed to give her double the protection against small arms fire without the added weight of chest pieces and armguards.

But now, she needed every bit of protection she could wear.

It was almost time.

The Molecular Relay was fully operational and in mere moments she would walk out of this house and prepare to journey into the Institute. Aveline wasn't sure of what to expect or how many hostiles she would find, but she was going in armed and armored to the teeth.

She was determined as she was scared of what she would find.

Even if the device didn't disintegrate her, she had no idea in what part of the Institute she would be transported to. She didn't know where exactly Shaun would be held in. Hell, what if the Institute already anticipated her trespassing and have her land in front of an entire legion of synths, laser rifles pointed at her and ready to burn her to an ashen crisp? It was doubtful that she would be welcomed with open arms considering the numerous Institute operations she has already interfered in and the fact she killed their number one attack dog in Kellogg.

Or worse yet, they would see her potential and try to drag her in to make her a replacement for Kellogg. Aveline wanted nothing to do with the Institute but she worried that they would use her child as leverage to force her to comply with their wishes, the old 'do as we say or the boy dies' cliché. And the very thought made her sick to her stomach.

"You've been staring at that mirror for an awful while now. Expecting to find the mysteries of life in there by any chance?"

Aveline turned around to find Desdemona casually resting against the doorway, a lit cigarette in one hand and a modified combat shotgun on the other.

"You're in quite the good mood Dez. I never thought you had a sense of humor," Aveline said, chuckling at seeing Dez roll her eyes at her as she took a drag from her cigarette.

"It's all your fault I'm in a good mood, Charmer," Dez retorted before tossing the weapon over to her agent, "You almost forgot this by the way."

Aveline caught it and looked it over. She had spent over an hour looking for her favorite shotgun, which she named 'The Coup de Grace'. She found it looked slightly more polished than before and it had some additional mods that weren't there before. The regular magazine had been replaced with a quick-eject drum mag and a reflex sight was added as well.

"I had a little help from your friend. Sturges, if I recall? We figured you would need all the firepower you could carry when you get there," Desdemona said, answering Aveline's question before she even got to ask it.

" _She did this…for me?"_

Desdemona was her boss, her leader, the person to answer to with all things Railroad related. Her job was to issue the orders. But here she was, going the extra mile, going so far as to even prep Charmer's guns when she didn't have to.

Some would think that Dez was only making sure that her agent was properly equipped to keep the Railroad's interests protected. They would be quite lost without their 'secret weapon' after all. But Aveline could see it in her eyes that the woman cared. She was afraid to show it, but she cared and she worried for her agent's safety.

She stared at Dez for a few seconds before she looked to her shotgun, adjusting the sling on it and strapped it to her back. She additionally carried the Overseer's Guardian and had the Deliverer holstered on her hip. She was still scared but she was going to see this through, come what may.

The Institute were about to feel the wrath of a mother's fury and even if it costs Aveline her life, it would be worth it as long as she got to see Shaun one last time and drag as many synths and asshole scientists down to hell with her.

She approached Desdemona and plucked the cigarette from her fingers, taking a long drag from it before dropping it to the floor and snuffing it out with her boot. Her hand reached for Dez's cheek, lightly caressing the other woman's face.

"Listen, Dez, I just…" Aveline took a deep breath. This wasn't easy to say and it made her feel like she was on her way to the executioner's block, "This could be the last time we see each other again. In case I don't make it back, I just wanted to say that I don't regret turning my back on the Brotherhood. And despite our rocky start, I don't regret joining the Railroad. And I don't regret what we have. I'll always treasure the night we shared on this bed and whatever happens I want you to know that I-"

Desdemona placed a finger to Aveline's lips to silence her.

"Don't. Not one more word out of you, Aveline," Dez said and Aveline swore she heard her lover's voice crack for a moment there. She pulled Charmer into a hug and kissed her forehead. They stood there for a minute, silently basking in each other's presence and embrace, before Desdemona finally let go.

"Come on, Charmer. The relay is fully operational."

"Yeah, I know boss," Aveline responded, smiling softly as she took Dez's hand and placed a kiss on her knuckles, "Let's go."

They both left the house and walked the short distance between Aveline's homestead and the Molecular Relay. A few Minutemen set up a perimeter, mostly to help keep curious and nosy settlers from swarming the area. Preston, Sturges, and Tinker Tom stood by the machine and Aveline couldn't help but stare at it in awe.

The Relay hummed and buzzed with energy, provided by a few generators placed behind the platform, electrical currents crackling around it.

"There is one more thing. You're going to need this," she heard Desdemona speak and turned around to look at her. Dez handed a holotape over to Aveline, "If you get an opportunity to do so, we need you to stick that into the Institute's mainframe. Tom assured me it will immediately download any and all information stored there. Here's hoping that it gives us the knowledge we need to turn this conflict in our favor."

"Also," she continued as Aveline put away the holotape in one of her pockets, "There's someone on the inside I need you to contact. We have reason to believe this person is an Institute scientist, though we've yet to find out. What we do know is that this person seems to be sympathetic to our cause as they are responsible for helping synths escape the Institute for the past few years. They go by the codename Patriot. If you are able, I would like you to meet Patriot and gather whatever information you can get from them."

"I guess I've got quite the checklist then. Find my son, stick the holotape into their mainframe, contact Patriot, buy some souvenirs for Deacon, and maybe blow up a few scientists. Easy," Aveline chuckled.

"I truly regret asking so much of you, Charmer. But you are our one and only hope. All I can say is good luck."

"Thank you. And good luck to you too out here boss," Aveline responded, winking at Desdemona. She turned back to face the relay and cautiously approached the machine.

"Aveline, are you ready to go into the Institute?" she heard Preston ask her.

"Of course not. Let's do this."

"All right then," Sturges said, "Step on over to the middle of the platform and Tom will start working on that machine."

Aveline stepped onto the platform and took position right in the middle, as Sturges had instructed her.

"Okay, I'm powering her up. Try not to move or anything while I get this baby to work," Tom said as he began fiddling with the mainframe, "All right, I've locked onto the signal. Give it a few seconds."

Aveline stood rigid, fearing that any bit of movement could provide disastrous results. She still tried to put on a brave face, despite that her heart was hammering away at a hundred miles per hour in her chest. She looked over at Desdemona and she wondered what was going through the woman's mind. A sudden noise caused her to yelp and turned to see that one of the tubes on the relay had broken off, flailing wildly as steam began to blow out.

" _Oh God, this machine's going to kill me!"_ she thought as she desperately tried to calm herself.

Desdemona's eyes widened as she looked at the flailing tube. If Tom didn't hurry up, the relay was going to fall apart around them. They would lose their only chance at getting into the Institute and Aveline could end up seriously hurt, or worse. Despite her composed demeanor, she was already screaming inside.

"Oh, uh…I think that was supposed to happen," Tom said sheepishly, trying (and failing) to reassure everyone around him.

"' _Supposed to happen' my ass!"_ Desdemona angrily thought as she glared at Tom. This was becoming too much of a risk that either of them could handle.

Dez was already contemplating running up to Aveline and pulling her away from the machine. She glanced at Preston and noticed that he too seemed ready to lunge forward and get his friend away from that thing. However, before either of them could act on it, the relay began rumbling a bit and a loud, crackling sound, accompanied by a bright, blue light instantly flashed, blinding Desdemona and the others.

After a few seconds, Dez opened her eyes and looked towards where Aveline was standing; only there was no one there now. The machine seemed to have powered down as it now stood still, broken tube hanging limply by the side.

Preston was the first to speak.

"Did it…did it work?" he asked.

Sturges and Tom walked over to the terminal to see if they could get something out of it.

"Aw man, the thing's outta juice," Tom lamented.

"Hold on there a moment," Sturges said, "Maybe the machine isn't a total bust. The generators are still workin' after all. I doubt the relay would work again, but maybe we could reboot the terminal and see if it could confirm that Aveline arrived at her destination." He turned to look at Desdemona and Preston, "We would have to wait a little while before we could get it running though," he concluded.

Preston sighed. He didn't like being in the dark in regards to his friend's safety, but he had little choice in the matter at the moment. All he could do is hold on to the faith he held in Aveline and her uncanny ability to pull through difficult situations.

He looked at the woman beside him and he could see that Desdemona was also greatly concerned. But the way she fidgeted, as if unsure of what to do next, and how she still hadn't taken her eyes off the relay had him suspect that their relationship might be more than that of a leader and a subordinate.

"Will you be all right, miss?" Preston asked sympathetically.

Desdemona looked at him momentarily before turning her attention back to the relay.

"It'll pass," she responded, hands behind her back, "I'm concerned for Aveline but I hope all turns well later."

She took a deep breath and spoke again.

"General, would you mind if I have a moment to myself here?"

Preston didn't question. He simply nodded in agreement and he waved over Sturges and the Railroad technician so they could leave Dez a minute of privacy.

After she was sure that she was alone, Desdemona cautiously walked up to the relay.

She figured that once Charmer came back, they would have to pull apart the relay and scatter its pieces, just in case.

She looked at the spot where Aveline stood mere moments ago and wondered what might have been going through Charmer's mind upon seeing all this. With a heavy sigh, she backed away from the relay, turning around and heading back into Sanctuary, thoughts running through her head.

" _Come back alive, my dear. That's an order."_


	5. Chapter 5: Railroad Huntress

A/N: This was a quick chapter I did while I work on drafts for some other stories I have planned (mostly one-shots since I want to focus on this story).

While Dez and Aveline don't make an appearance in this chapter, it does introduce a Railroad agent OC I've been working on and the appearance of Isabel Cruz, better known as the Mechanist, so there's that. Enjoy!

...

Nighttime in the Commonwealth was an unpredictable environment. Common sense dictated that one should stay within the walls and safety of a settlement but if travel was necessary, then extra precaution was needed. After all, it was during the night that the unsavory elements of the Commonwealth would thrive. Raiders would take this chance to stalk potential victims. Super Mutants lumbered about more eagerly, looking for unsuspecting prey to shoot, kill, and eat (not necessarily in that order). Feral ghouls shuffled about, mindlessly looking for their next meal.

Such was the case of Concord. It had been abandoned ever since Aveline had stumbled into the ruined town as a lost and confused vault dweller, only to emerge as a local hero for rescuing Preston and his group. But now a new group of Raiders had taken up residence, looking to plunder local caravans for valuables.

Fortunately, they weren't a particularly bright bunch or they would have known that most of the Minutemen's supply caravans didn't always stick to the roads. It was a little strategy Aveline came up with that involved switching up the traveling patterns of their provisioners and supply caravans every once in a while.

If the caravans stuck to their routes day in and day out, it would only be a matter of time before Raiders and Gunners picked up on it and prepared an ambush. On the other hand, taking a different direction or shortcut every once in a while kept would-be plunderers guessing and unable to pull off a proper score.

But now, the raider group at Concord was also on edge, because apart from unsuccessful scores, three of their group had been killed the day before, each with a railway spike.

Now, under the cover of night, the raiders dispersed into various patrol groups, prowling the ruined streets of Concord, hoping to either hit the jackpot or find the bitch who stalked them the previous day.

They were completely unaware of a lone figure watching them from a distant rooftop.

A pale skinned woman was crouched, observing the movements of the raider patrols through a pair of binoculars, red hair tied in a ponytail to keep it from blocking her view. The mystery woman wore a skin-tight bodysuit which hugged her curves quite nicely, almost similar in appearance to the suits used by Brotherhood troops; only this one was colored black with dark red trims.

In actuality, it was a modified stealth suit that the Institute had crafted for her use.

She had kept the suit along with plenty of other goodies the eggheads at the SRB had given her when she turned her back on them and made a run for it.

"Four raiders patrolling the main street. Three armed with pipe pistols and one with a pool cue," she muttered to herself as she looked away from the streets below and scanned the rooftops, "Hmmm, I spy with my little eyes, a sack wearing loser with a missile launcher. I should take care of you first."

The woman put away her binoculars and brandished her silenced sniper rifle, holding her breath as she lined up the shot. The bullet that was fired popped the raider's head like a melon and his weapon fell on the ground where he was standing. Luckily, the other raiders either didn't seem to notice the sound of the weapon dropping.

She set her rifle to the side and continued to observe the area. There was an additional raider on a nearby balcony, armed with a rusty pipe rifle, and more of them wandering the streets of Concord, inefficiently armed with more pipe pistols, switchblades and pool cues.

" _And these idiots intend to take the Red Rocket gas station armed like that?"_ she thought to herself in disbelief.

She wondered why the Minutemen haven't come down to take care of the problem. It wasn't like them to let raiders set up camp a stone's throw away from their settlements. Perhaps they had bigger issues to attend to?

" _Man, you've clearly hit rock bottom in your raider career when even the Minutemen think you're not worth their time."_ She chuckled to herself at the thought.

This was going to be way too easy.

The woman sighed in disappointment, coming to terms that this would not be enough to satiate her hunger for the thrill of combat. But at least there was the thrill of the hunt. She wasn't known as 'The Huntress' for nothing after all.

She stood up and turned to walk to the other side of the roof, leaping into the hidden alleyway behind the building. Despite the long fall, she landed quietly and gracefully, where others would have probably landed with a loud thud and a broken leg. Or at least humans dumb enough to try would have landed painfully. In her case, it helped to have adamantium infused into her skin and synthetic bones.

The Institute wanted only the best for 'Project Omega' after all, their attempt to create the first female Courser.

The sound of someone clearing their throat caught her attention. She turned to the side; hand on the hilt of her sword, when she saw that the stranger was none other than her traveling companion.

The Huntress sighed in both relief and exasperation as she looked at her current traveling partner.

The other woman was slightly shorter than the Huntress and she wore her traveling clothes which consisted of a red flannel shirt, jeans that had holes around the knees, and combat boots. Sweat and dust gathered from traveling out in the Commonwealth for so long with the Huntress had replaced the oil and grime that usually caked her caramel skin from working all day on robots. Strands of short, jet black hair clung to the sides of her face and all she desired at the moment was to wash herself and plop down onto a clean mattress for a decent rest.

But she wasn't going anywhere without her partner, especially when said partner seemed to consider picking a fight with a whole gang of raiders on her lonesome.

Such was the new life that eighteen year old robotics genius and former Mechanist Isabel Cruz now found herself in.

"I thought I told you to go on ahead to Sanctuary," the red haired woman said.

"And I thought I told you that we're sticking together out here, Artemis," Isabel replied.

Something about hearing her name from someone else's lips left Artemis in a pleasant mood. It made her feel like her own person, to hear the name she chose for herself when she began wandering the Commonwealth.

She was no longer Designation O8-24. She was now Artemis Rose, ex-Courser and Huntress of the Railroad.

"There's nothing to worry about, Izzy," Artemis replied, her expression softening, "Minutemen territory is up that road. You'll need to rest, especially since I've dragged you over half the Commonwealth, and I can tell it's wearing down on you."

"I'm not tired," Isabel responded, the yawn she tried to stifle proving her words were complete and utter lies, "Okay, maybe a little." She grinned sheepishly as she rubbed the back of her neck

"We should have brought Ada to give you a piggyback ride at least." Artemis smiled hearing Isabel give a soft yet tired giggle.

"It wouldn't be fair for her," Isabel chided with a slight shake of her head, "Besides, I need someone to keep an eye on our bunker, and with you out here, the only ones left I could count on to do the job are Ada and Sparks."

"Well, that's good. At least with them in charge, we won't have to worry about the other bots planning a mutiny," Artemis chuckled softly, placing a hand on Isabel's shoulder, "You really didn't have to do this, you know."

"I know but uh, you kinda had a point the last time we talked," the former mechanist replied, "You know, about me needing to get out more often and see the sun and all that stuff?"

"Oh, Izzy," Artemis shook her head in amusement, "I didn't expect you to take me too seriously. It's just…I worry for you and I only want to prot-"

"And don't say you're trying to protect me," Isabel narrowed her eyes at Artemis, having already anticipated what the ex-Courser was about to say, "I know I don't look like much but you know I can handle myself. And I always have Ada or one of the other bots to watch my back whenever I go for supply runs."

Isabel reached up and lifted Artemis' goggles, allowing the young mechanic to look into the Huntress' eyes. They were rather…unique. Those eyes reminded Isabel of Aveline's other friend, the detective from Diamond City. Nick Valentine, she recalled. Only instead of yellow, Artemis' eyes glowed an eerie red.

Artemis hated them at first. To her, the synthetic eyes she was fitted with was just another curse of the Institute, a reminder that she would never be truly free from them. The scientists made them that way probably out of belief that she would look a lot more intimidating than the average Courser, as if simply being identified as a Courser wasn't enough to get surface dwellers to piss their pants and beg for mercy. Hell, even most of her fellow Railroad agents felt a bit put off when they looked her directly in the eye. Desdemona, Aveline, Deacon and Glory were among the handful that showed no discomfort when talking to her. And if they did, they at least knew how to hide it well.

She always had to hide her eyes beneath goggles out of concern that anyone who looked at her would either run away or attack her out of fear.

Then she remembered the time she revealed herself as a synth to Isabel and hesitantly took her goggles off to show the young mechanic that she wasn't bullshitting. For a moment, she had expected that Isabel would scream and jump away from her.

" _Wow, um…your eyes, um…they look," Isabel stammered, nervously fidgeting._

 _Artemis sighed and prepared herself for her friend to either back away or insult her. "Just say it and get it over with," she had said bitterly._

" _They look…quite beautiful." The last part came out as a whisper._

 _Artemis felt as if some of her circuits fried as she attempted to process Isabel's words. Her eyes made her look like a monster, the killing machine she was meant to be. And this young woman was not intimidated in the slightest. She didn't see her as a monster or as a tool, rather she saw her as a human being, a friend._

 _The synthetic woman had assumed that the mechanist came up with that on a whim, as if not to hurt her feelings, but the way Isabel had looked in wondrous amazement with a slight blush on her cheeks proved her words genuine. Isabel then realized she might have been staring too long and looked away, blushing even more._

And despite how awkward, if also slightly adorable, that moment had become, Artemis realized that was also the moment she truly fell hard for the petite mechanic.

"It's you I'm worried about sometimes," Isabel's voice brought Artemis back from her thoughts, "You're always out here and I'm pretty sure you run into danger all the time in those delivery jobs you do for some settlements…"

" _Riiiight. Delivery jobs,"_ Artemis thought to herself, remembering her cover story since Isabel did not know she was really a Railroad agent.

"…and with the Institute around-"

Artemis interrupted Isabel with a quick peck to her lips. The Huntress couldn't help but chuckle at the sight of Isabel blushing furiously.

"It'll be fine, hun," Artemis replied, giving her girlfriend a warm smile of her own, "Let me just do the Minutemen a solid and get these guys out of the way. After that, we can go to Sanctuary to rest. I've got a friend there that I need to meet with and you might as well check the junk shops there for the aluminum you needed."

She pulled Isabel into a hug, which was unfortunately, quickly interrupted.

"Hey, I think I heard sumthin'," the rough voice of a Raider could be heard nearby.

Artemis pulled away from the embrace and quickly scanned the area. She looked behind Isabel and spotted a dumpster close by. Isabel turned to look and groaned upon seeing the dumpster.

"Alright! Come on out!" The raider came upon the alleyway, gun raised, only to find it…

Empty. There was absolutely no one in sight.

"I swore I heard voices over here," he said in bewilderment.

"I told ya to cut off a bit on the Jet," another raider chided behind him, "you're always hearin' shit."

The first raider turned around, glaring furiously at his partner. "Hey, fuck you man! You're always dickin' around with Psycho and you don't see me givin' you shit!"

"That's cuz you ain't stupid enough to try-Shit! Behind you!" The second raider yelled out pointing behind his partner as he fumbled for his weapon. The first turned around only to get hit by an electrical blast from Isabel's Tesla Rifle.

The second raider grabbed his pipe pistol, failing to notice the air shimmer behind him. Before he got a chance to aim his gun at Isabel, Artemis grabbed the man from behind, placing a hand over his mouth while the other held a combat knife, which she plunged into his chest. She gave it a twist, making sure that the blade shredded his heart to speed up his death.

The Huntress dropped the limp body and walked over to the corpse of the other raider. She looked up at Isabel, who was climbing out of the dumpster, with a smirk.

"Wow, you could say he was _shocked_ to see you there," she said.

"Are you sure this is a good time for puns?" Isabel questioned, quirking an eyebrow.

"It's always a good time for puns," Artemis simply retorted.

"There they are! Smoke 'em," another raider appeared, opening fire, while three others flanked him and fired their pistols at Artemis and Isabel.

"I beg to differ!" Isabel half-shouted at Artemis as the Huntress dragged her behind the cover of the dumpster, the sound of bullets pinging off the hard steel rattling their ears. "Okay, these raiders are really pissed off," Isabel remarked as she steadied her grip on her rifle.

"I know," Artemis said with a smile on her face as she grabbed a cryo grenade from her belt, "I think they need to _chill_ out."

Isabel burst out in giggles at hearing another of the Huntress' lame puns as she lobbed the grenade at the raider group firing on them. One explosion later and the raiders were turned into ice statues. Artemis and Isabel got out of cover and walked over to the frozen ruffians.

Artemis took a closer look at one of the frozen raiders with a scrutinizing gaze, as if she were some prewar art critic, and she scrunched her nose in disdain.

She lifted a foot up and pushed the unfortunate raider, watching her body smash into tiny little bits as she crashed onto the ground. Artemis then proceeded to do the same to the other three raiders.

"These punks can barely offer me a decent challenge," the synthetic woman shook her head in disappointment. She turned to look at Isabel standing behind her, "Are you holding up all right?"

Isabel yawned, the adrenaline of the short lived gunfight already wearing off. "Kind of," she responded, "Was that all the raiders?"

"No. The rest must be hiding in the old museum."

"And you're going to go after them?"

Artemis thought on it for a moment before a smile crept on her lips.

"Nah. When we get to Sanctuary, I'll let the Minutemen know and see if they can send a squad to clear the remaining raiders out. I should focus more on taking you someplace comfortable. Hopefully there are still some beds for rent at the Drunken Huntsman."

Artemis took Isabel's hand and looked at her for any signs of disapproval or discomfort. They were both relatively new to this kind of experience and she hoped she wasn't stepping on any unspoken boundaries that would spook the petite woman.

Her synthetic heart skipped a little when she felt Isabel entwine her fingers with theirs and gave it a gentle squeeze.

They held hands all the way as they walked up the road, passed by the Red Rocket Station and approached the gates of Sanctuary.

It was a comforting feeling, to have someone at your side who cared about who you are, not about who made you or what your original purpose was. Artemis had always feared loneliness, a ridiculous notion for a killer like her, but being lonely made her feel doubt, made her unsure if she was truly fit to be her own person. To have people like Dez, Deacon, Aveline and now Isabel around her, it gave her a new sense of purpose and a new reason to pick up her gun and blade and fight against any and all who would threaten them.

The Institute may have made her a killing machine.

But her friends made her a human being.

...

 **I'll be honest; my Artemis/Isabel pairing was highly inspired by the Athena/Janey Springs pairing from the Borderlands games (specifically Tales from the Borderlands; awesome Telltale game by the way).**


	6. Chapter 6: To Preserve Your Memory

_A/N: Heads up! Apologies for the slightly long author's note._

 _I feel like some of these chapters may look a bit like filler so far, and that I might be taking a bit too long to get to the actual plot (even I ask myself sometimes why don't I just get to the point. To think that my original idea was to make this a quick five chapter short story and ideas just suddenly exploded before me)._

 _The thing is that a lot of characters (and I mean a lot) in the Fallout universe aren't as well fleshed out as we would like them to be. I find that even those who are supposed to be important or major players in the storyline just seem to lack a certain depth to their character (It might just be me though). This is why I've taken the time to give some of them, such as Dez, some much needed characterization._

 _As I mentioned before, I do intend to take some creative liberties with the characters as the story progresses. I pretty much already have the destination this story will be headed towards; it's building up the path and direction that takes up most of my time._

 _And I would truly appreciate comments, opinions and feedback from the readers. It would let me know what I'm doing right, or wrong, and it would give me a better idea on how to improve upon this story._

 _I thank you all for your time. Now back to the story!_

…

The door to Aveline's room swung open as Desdemona made her way inside. She heaved a sigh as she closed the door and leaned against it. It had been a long day so far and all she wanted at the moment was a few minutes to relax and clear her head. Dez dragged her feet over to the bed and plopped down on the soft mattress, wishing Charmer was here to give her another massage. It was a selfish thought but there was something about those soft hands kneading skin and muscle that made Desdemona feel as if a dozen burdens had been lifted off her shoulders.

Two days have already gone by since Aveline went through the Molecular Relay, both Sturges and Tinker Tom having confirmed that Aveline had indeed arrived at the Institute, after they managed to reboot the relay's terminal a few hours after the agent disappeared in a flash of blue. While it brought a moment of comfort for Dez to know that at least Charmer wasn't reduced to a smoldering pile of ash, newer questions soon plagued her mind.

 _Had Aveline successfully infiltrated the Institute? Had she managed to blend in with them? Had she found her son?_

Those were among the many questions Desdemona had and she knew they would remain unanswered until Aveline returned…if she returned.

" _No. Don't think like that,"_ Dez thought to herself, with a slight shake of her head, _"If anyone can pull this off, it's Charmer."_

Dez felt a bit ashamed for not having more faith in Aveline like she should. After all, this was the same woman that had tackled missions and Railroad ops that were considered difficult or borderline impossible by other agents. The Switchboard op, Aveline's multiple trips into the Glowing Sea and her pursuit of a Courser at Greentech were a testament to her abilities and will to survive.

But still, this was the Institute she was infiltrating. Charmer was in the belly of the very boogeyman that the Commonwealth feared for decades. The monster that was the Railroad's sworn enemy for a long time. One little slip up, one mistake and Aveline's life and the lives of those close to her would be in serious peril.

And the Railroad could ill afford to lose her, as it would be a devastating blow to the beleaguered organization. Desdemona recognized that the Railroad's recent progress and successes were thanks to Aveline's efforts and they would need her alive if they were to keep that momentum going.

She did hold onto a tiny bit of hope that her best agent would come back, triumphant, with her son at her side and the head of the Institute's leader on a pike.

In the meantime, Desdemona had busied herself with paperwork and the occasional reading break, thanks to Aveline's personal collection of books, if only to try and distract herself from her everyday concerns. She had also sat down with Preston Garvey, whom she had just wrapped up a meeting with; the Minuteman General wanting to discuss the possibility of a partnership between their respective factions.

The more Dez kept herself busy or distracted, the less time she had to lose herself in her thoughts. To her doubts, her fears and her insecurities.

She pulled out her pack of cigarettes, finding only one remaining. She placed it between her lips and lit it as she tossed the empty pack aside. She made a mental note to stop by the markets later to buy more.

Desdemona's mind drifted to her discussion with Preston. She truly had mixed feelings about a potential alliance between the Minutemen and the Railroad. Not because she thought she was getting a bad deal, far from it. If anything, the Railroad would be the ones gaining a lot of benefits once the deal was officially signed.

With the Minutemen at their side, the Railroad would have the extra muscle they sorely needed to survive this conflict. With the abundance of settlements already flying the Minutemen's banner and increasing patrols, Railroad agents would have less of a hard time clearing out and safeguarding their traveling routes as they navigate the Commonwealth. And lastly, and possibly the most important one, the Railroad might actually gain some support from the people of the Commonwealth.

Most of the Commonwealth's citizens were slowly coming around and standing behind the Minutemen as they grew in power. They had no love neither for the Institute, for obvious reasons, and for the Brotherhood of Steel, whom they saw as invaders. But unfortunately for Desdemona, they had little to no respect for the Railroad either. The citizens of the Commonwealth saw them as fools for deliberately picking a fight with the Institute in the name of freeing enslaved synths.

And Desdemona could perhaps concede their point. Not everyone would willingly take up arms against an organization that had terrorized the surface for decades. You would indeed need to have a bit of crazy and foolish in you to join the Railroad out of your own volition.

But opinions could change if an organization like the Minutemen had your back covered. Especially if your best agent pulled off double duty as the Minutemen's spokeswoman ('Public Relations' Charmer had called it).

With her motherly, easy-to-approach personality and her talent for spinning words to get the result she wanted, something she learned to do quite well from her days as a lawyer, Aveline became the nexus between the common folk and the Minutemen leadership. Community leaders would come to her with requests or concerns that needed to be addressed with the chain of command, and in turn she served as a mouthpiece for the Minutemen leaders.

With her help, the Railroad could get a similar treatment and finally get the support it desperately needed.

Sure, it sounded a bit manipulative, but the Railroad would need every advantage they could get.

What worried Desdemona about this deal was that she wasn't sure if General Garvey fully understood what he would be getting himself into should their partnership become official.

The Railroad really didn't have much to offer the Minutemen in return, except their enemies. The Institute would no doubt make it a priority to target various settlements and outposts as an intimidation tactic should they even suspect that the Minutemen are in league with the Railroad and the Brotherhood would try to strong-arm them into handing over the 'synth-sympathizers' into their custody or risk war should they refuse.

Preston was no doubt doing this out of kindness and understanding, which would make him just as foolish as Dez.

" _We are all just fools on the same boat, aren't we?"_ Desdemona chuckled at the thought as she took one long drag from her cigarette and stubbed it on a nearby ashtray. _"But we're fools with guns and we definitely know how to use them."_

In the end, both leaders had conceded that they should wait for Aveline to return and act as a mediator before they truly agreed to anything yet. Preston also had to depart to the Castle as soon as their meeting was over, so it would be a while before they met again. It bought the Railroad Alpha a little more time to truly think this through.

For starters, Dez would have to start thinking long term while trying to survive the present.

Desdemona never put much thought about long term plans and repercussions simply because she honestly never expected to make it this far. She was too busy trying to survive the present and keeping the Railroad from falling apart to even consider making plans for the future.

She only thought about the here and now because, like Deacon and plenty of others within the Railroad after the Switchboard incident, she too had quietly come to accept that it was only a matter of time before the Institute would find them once more and finish them off for good. It's not like they had anywhere else to run and hide. So they focused on doing whatever damage they could possibly inflict to the Institute, one final act of defiance before the Railroad officially bit the dust.

But now, thanks to Aveline, they would have a chance to see this war to the end. However, what would become of the Railroad if they miraculously emerged as the victors?

She was becoming aware of the irony that if they somehow got lucky and managed to destroy the Institute, they would also be defeating their own purpose for existing.

If the Institute was taken out of the equation, many within the Railroad would already see that as mission accomplished, having taken up arms for the sole purpose of avenging friends or family lost to those mad scientists. In addition, no more synths would be produced, and once the synths that remained were given new identities and led to different locations where they could start anew, the Railroad would have little reason to be around any longer.

And if Desdemona lived to see that day, she would be left with two options; the Railroad could continue but they would have to find a new purpose, a new goal to accomplish, or, they would disband entirely.

The second option seemed the most likely to happen.

Once the Institute was gone, many agents and heavies would no doubt leave the Railroad and return to whatever friends or family they left behind, to salvage their old lives or build up a new one. Those that wanted to continue fighting the good fight would probably follow Aveline into the Minutemen and set up a covert ops branch for the organization.

As for the leader of the Railroad herself…

Desdemona had nowhere to go and no one to come back to. Her home was long gone and she had no intention of returning. The Railroad had been her only family for the past decade. But there would be little she could do once the others decide to go their separate ways.

She sighed at the thought.

She did have Aveline at the moment, but it was much too soon to already plan a life with her. Besides, Charmer's responsibilities in the Minutemen and raising her child will no doubt be a bigger priority in an Institute-free Commonwealth.

Dez turned on her side and looked towards a bookcase and a magazine rack on the other side of the room, filled to capacity with all sorts of literature.

She got up and walked over to Aveline's personal library. The owner had a habit of picking up every bit of prewar literature as long as it was still readable. Everything from magazines to classical writings, philosophical texts, scientific journals and even children's books, none would escape Aveline's grasp as long as it was salvageable. Dez's fingers sifted through the rows of books, pulling out various copies as she looked them over and put them back in their place.

Desdemona could respect that. She too believed in preserving any work of literature, old or new, and she even had a personal collection of her own tucked away in her own private corner of HQ. She even found some Shakespearian works off to the side, stuffed with bookmarks.

"I didn't take you as a fan of Shakespeare, Charmer," Dez muttered to herself as she smiled, though upon seeing the title of the book, her smile quickly turned into a slight frown, an old memory appearing at the forefront of her mind.

" _Whatcha' reading, love?"_

 _Desdemona's eyes peeked over the book, gazing right into Samantha's bright blue eyes._

" _Othello. It's another one of William Shakespeare's works of literature," Dez replied as she rested her head back on Sam's lap. Her fingers started stroking Dez's ginger hair, reveling in its softness._

" _Geez, can't you read something else?" Sam asked, "Shakespeare writes some good stuff but they're always so…tragic."_

" _It's a little more complicated than that," Dez replied, "But yes. There's always moments of tragedy in his stories, more or less. I suppose one way of intriguing your audience is by tugging at their heartstrings after all."_

 _Sam looked up for a moment, tapping her chin with her free hand._

" _Is that why you're so broody all the time?" she asked playfully._

 _Dez looked back up to her with a mock glare._

" _I am not broody."_

" _Reeeaaally?"_

" _I am a romantic."_

" _Oh yeah? Prove it."_

" _Come down here and I'll prove it."_

 _Sam giggled as she bent down and lowered her head to capture Dez's lips in a soft kiss, the other woman responding with a passion of her own._

" _So, did that prove anything, Sam?" Dez asked, as she pulled away with a smug smile on her face._

" _Yeah, it proves that my girlfriend is the best kisser in the Commonwealth."_

" _And don't you forget it," Dez said as she sat up on the bed and leaned against Sam. Sam wrapped her arms around Dez's waist and pulled her close._

 _They enjoyed a couple of moments of silence until Sam spoke again._

" _You know, with all those books you've got…"Sam nodded towards the two, fully stocked bookshelves across their bed, "…I could open up a schoolhouse with all that."_

" _You think?" Dez asked. She noticed for some time that Samantha had always seemed to take a liking to Dez's library, and was always eager to collect books whenever the couple went out on supply runs. She never hesitated to help Dez around with the farm, but it was very clear that Sam desired to be a teacher more than a farmer._

" _I think so sweetie," Sam said, "Maybe here on your farm…unless it troubles you?"_

" _ **Our**_ _farm," Dez corrected, "And no, it wouldn't bother me one bit. The problem though is that there are barely any young ones here to teach."_

" _Yeah, I know," Sam sighed, with a slightly defeated look on her face. But her eyes lit up immediately, "But maybe in a few years from now, there will be more kids in town. And I could open up a school for them."_

 _Sam smiled giddily as her eyes twinkled even more, "Maybe we could adopt a child of our own and I could be their teacher as well!" She clasped her own mouth with her hands as she realized what she just said. "If…if you like…" she added quietly._

 _She turned to look at her girlfriend and was surprised to find an amused smirk plastered on the ginger's face._

 _Dez leaned in and placed a kiss on Sam's cheek._

" _I'd like that," she said and pulled Sam into a hug, "I'd like that a lot."_

Desdemona's hands shook slightly as she held onto Aveline's copy of _Othello_ and hugged the book tightly against her chest, blinking back the tears that threatened to fall. She would not cry. Not here. Not now.

Sam had always dreamt about opening up a school. She felt as if it were her life's calling, to share knowledge with others and give them a proper education. She had hoped that through knowledge and reason, people would learn not to repeat the mistakes made 200 years ago.

Desdemona chuckled bitterly at the irony.

The irony that a mere runaway synth saw the potential of humankind to at least learn from the past and educate the future generations, while the Institute and the Brotherhood of Steel, organizations that envisioned themselves as exemplars of humanity and had massive amounts of resources at their disposal, withheld knowledge that could benefit and educate an entire populace. That kind of attitude is what led to the Commonwealth and everywhere around the world being turned into the hostile wasteland that everyone currently inhabits.

Desdemona clutched the book tightly as suddenly an idea struck her. Maybe…maybe there was a new purpose for her after all. It was something to consider but if she somehow lived through this war, and after everyone went their separate ways, she might have a new life goal to accomplish.

Sam may no longer be able to fulfill her dream but Dez could perhaps fulfill it for her.

Perhaps when this war is over and she was able to retire from the Railroad, Desdemona would honor her late wife by opening up a schoolhouse of her own. Being a teacher shouldn't be too difficult for her.

She was already an enthusiast for academia in her own right and had experience in constantly dealing with the childish antics of her agents (mostly Aveline, Deacon and Artemis). Not exactly a stalwart qualification to become a teacher but this was the wasteland. Unless there was some university out there where she could sign up and get a degree from, that would have to do.

But where to set one up?

Among the Commonwealth's largest settlements were Diamond City, Goodneighbor and Bunker Hill.

Diamond City already had their own schoolhouse. Goodneighbor was…perhaps not the most ideal place to set up a learning center…unless you intended to teach chemistry. As for Bunker Hill, they would probably have little interest unless they could turn a profit, so they were out of the equation.

There were still new possibilities, especially with all the settlements that were coming together under the Minutemen.

" _I could probably set up shop right here in Sanctuary,"_ Desdemona thought, _"Or perhaps Starlight,"_ referring to the Starlight Drive-In, which was also steadily growing in size, _"Or maybe that museum in Concord. Secure and settle the town, then clean up the place. Sam would have loved to be in charge of a schoolhouse that doubled as a museum of history…Oh god, I'm sounding just like her."_

Dez took the book and tucked it under her arm. She planned on going outside for a little while. There was a spot she picked out earlier by a small stream flowing just outside Sanctuary that she considered relaxing enough for some afternoon reading. It was also relatively safe, being close to the walls of the settlement.

" _One thing at a time,"_ Dez thought to herself. Plans for the future would have to be put on hold for the time being, but at least she had some to consider. She would have to survive this war if she wanted to put them into practice.

Desdemona checked out the top row of books for anything else of interest and she picked one out at random. The front cover was a bit worn out and Dez could only make out the word _Kama_ but the rest of the letters have long since faded. She opened the book out of curiosity and upon flipping the first few pages, she promptly shut it closed, eyes widened and cheeks blushing.

Aveline was definitely not kidding when she said she collected every readable book she could find. She truly did mean _**every single one**_ , even if one of them was a book about sex positions.

Dez quickly shoved the book back to its spot.

 _Although…_

She looked to her left and then to her right, making sure no one had snuck up on her. She pulled the book out just a little bit so it could stand out amongst the others in its row. Just some literature to consider 'studying' together with Aveline sometime in the future.

Dez settled with _Othello_ for old time's sake and held on to it possessively as she left the room, making her way down the stairs. She smiled a little, knowing that perhaps she wouldn't be as completely lost as she thought she would be.

As she opened the door and stepped out into Sanctuary, Desdemona nearly bumped right into another woman who had been approaching Aveline's home.

"Oh hey Charm-…Oh! Uh, hi boss," The pale redheaded woman greeted lamely, rubbing the back of her neck, "What, uh, what brings you here?"

"Hello to you too, Artemis," Desdemona replied, eyes narrowing as she crossed her arms, "And I could ask the same of you. Follow me."

"…crap," was all the redhead said as she followed Desdemona towards the market stalls.

...

 _Forgot to add this here:_

 _For those of you who don't know, Desdemona's codename is actually based off of a character from William Shakespeare's 'Othello', hence the referencing here._

 _Anyone ever wonder what her real name might be? I was going to come up with one for her flashback scene but I decided to hold back for the time being._


	7. Chapter 7: Getting A Clue

_A/N: Took me a while to get this chapter done. Between moments of writer's block, the length of the chapter, and revising it, I just wasn't able to put it up as soon as I had hoped._

 _I still feel like I could have done better with this chapter but maybe in the near future I'll look to revise and rewrite any chapters I felt that could have used some work._

 _So yeah...Long chapter, lots of dialogue and some fluffiness at the beginning. Enjoy!_

…

The day had initially started well for Artemis. She carried a large tray of breakfast that she was sure Isabel would like as she climbed the stairs towards the inn section of the Drunken Huntsman. A mirelurk omelet, a sliced mutfruit and a bottle of Nuka Cola should lift her spirits for the day.

Artemis wasn't too fond of anything made out of mirelurks, slimy buggers that they were. But the cooks under Aaron's employ seemed to have a Midas touch when it came to food, cooking up gourmet masterpieces out of meats and ingredients that would have otherwise looked and tasted awful.

The Huntress nudged one of the doors open as she made her way inside to the room she shared with Isabel.

She was still sleeping soundly when Artemis arrived and the synth couldn't help but admire the figure of the petite woman before her. Isabel had tossed aside the blanket in her sleep, revealing the worn out sports bra and underwear she had hastily put on before throwing herself onto bed for some much needed shuteye.

Artemis couldn't resist craning her neck a little to take a good look at Isabel's cute little bottom.

" _For shame, Artemis. Ogling your sleeping girlfriend? Bad Huntress! Bad!"_

Artemis quickly looked away, blushing as she went and placed the breakfast tray on the nearby end table and turned her to attention to the sleeping woman. She smiled as she brushed away some of Isabel's hair and dipped her head down to place a tender kiss on the woman's cheek.

"Wake up sleepyhead." Isabel began to stir at the sound of Artemis' voice. The woman slowly turned, lying on her back and opened her eyes to find herself staring into the redhead's glowing gaze.

"Hey honey," Isabel greeted with a smile, reaching up and running a hand through the Huntress' loose hair.

"Hey there gorgeous," Artemis caught Isabel's lips with her own and kissed her softly. She pulled away and took the tray of food while Isabel sat up on the bed. "Here babe, I brought you some breakfast."

Isabel beamed a smile at Artemis as the synth woman placed the tray on Isabel's lap and then moved to sit on the bed. She made herself comfortable sitting behind Isabel, wrapping her arms around the young woman's waist. They sat in comfortable silence as Isabel happily ate her breakfast while Artemis watched, her hand tenderly caressing the flat plane of her girlfriend's stomach.

Isabel started giggling and nearly choked on her last bite of the omelet when she felt Artemis' fingers trace circles around her bellybutton.

"Sweetie! That tickles!" Isabel chided as she took a swig of Nuka Cola and reached for a slice of mutfruit.

"But you're so cute when you giggle!" Artemis said as she leaned in and nipped the mechanic's ear. Isabel nearly made a mess with the mutfruit and decided enough is enough. She put the tray aside on the end table and turned to look at Artemis, who was looking back with a cheeky grin.

Artemis reached up, cupping Isabel's face with both hands and drew her in for a languid kiss. The redhead relished the sweet taste of mutfruit that lingered on Isabel's lips and felt like she couldn't get enough. The synth woman eventually pulled away and licked her lips, which drew a whining noise from her girlfriend.

"Your lips taste so sweet," Artemis complimented, "But then again, you are the sweetest girl I've ever met."

Isabel rolled her eyes and giggled at Artemis' lame praises.

"Oh, stop it and just keep kissing me," Isabel ordered and the Huntress complied, capturing the other woman's lips again, only their kiss was a lot more heated than any of the previous ones they shared.

Artemis slowly lowered Isabel onto her back and pushed her tongue past the other woman's lips, while in turn Isabel's hands were on Artemis, one tangled with the synth's red locks while the other rested on the small of her back.

Isabel felt her body slowly heat up and warmth pool in the pit of her stomach.

She was quite mesmerized with the way Artemis treated her, the way she wanted her. Never in her life did she think she would be in a place like this, with someone else who desired her. It made her wonder if she was really capable of winning someone's heart after all.

Her desire to get people to like her at least as a friend and role model, coupled with wanting to try and make the Commonwealth a safer place was what initially drove her into becoming the Mechanist.

Behind the mask of The Mechanist, she felt powerful, confident, in control. Under the guise of the comic book icon and her robot army, no one would ever see the real Isabel for who she truly was; a socially inept, stammering mess who could only find companionship with robots because she couldn't even hold a conversation with an actual person for even a minute without making a fool of herself.

And despite how badly her plan to save the Commonwealth backfired, Isabel was still able to gain some friends in the form of Aveline, Ada and some of her other companions, after they spared her and gave her a chance to right her wrongs. Anyone else would have most likely shot her or thrown her to a lynch mob for all the trouble and suffering she indirectly caused.

And with Artemis, she found love, something she truly never expected to find in her life.

No matter what anyone else said or thought of Artemis, Isabel saw her as a human being. It didn't matter to her whether the Huntress was made of metal or flesh; she exhibited a love and tenderness that very few actual human beings were capable of showing.

The warm smile that Artemis displayed after pulling away from Isabel was evidence of that.

Artemis gave her one last peck before getting up from the bed and looking for her travel pack. The woman looked back at Isabel, who was pouting at her and she found it adorable.

"Can't you stay a while longer?" Isabel asked, patting the empty bed space next to her.

"Sorry Izzy, but I really gotta go and find our mutual friend. Hopefully, it'll only be for a few minutes and then we'll head back to your place by the afternoon."

Isabel sighed and stood up, reaching for the Nuka Cola she had yet to finish.

"Well, I guess I could go to the markets to purchase some supplies I need to finish my latest projects," she said before gulping down the rest of her drink.

Isabel squealed when she felt Artemis give a playful swat to her butt. She turned around, narrowing her eyes and pouting at her synth girlfriend.

"Artemiiis!" She whined as the Huntress cackled with laughter.

"I regret nothing!" Artemis proclaimed, pulling Isabel into a one armed embrace and nuzzled her cheek, "I'm going to look for Aveline. Make yourself comfortable here and stay out of trouble, alright?"

"Sure thing," Isabel replied and gave Artemis a quick peck on the lips, "I'll catch up with you later."

Artemis placed her goggles over her eyes as she left the room and walked out of the Drunken Huntsman with a smile on her face.

She honestly didn't know what she did to deserve someone like Isabel. She was supposed to be a machine, a tool for a group of scientists who would have been too weak, too cowardly, and too arrogant to fend for themselves without their precious synths. Yet the girl loved her, desired her and Artemis reciprocated those feelings.

Despite all their flaws, Artemis felt that she at least owed the Railroad and specifically, Desdemona and Aveline, for teaching her that it was okay to exhibit these sorts of emotions.

Maybe one day, if things get better, she would explain to Isabel what she really did for a living. But for now, she would need to keep the mechanist in the dark; her way of protecting Isabel's life should shit hit the fan with the Railroad.

Artemis approached Aveline's house and she hoped to whatever gods out there that Charmer was around. It was a long trip to Sanctuary and she didn't to feel like all this time traveling was for nothing. She also couldn't afford to stay another night at the settlement as the woman needed to escort Isabel back to her little bunker and after that she would return to HQ.

Artemis sighed at the thought.

It had been almost three weeks that she was last at HQ and no doubt she was going to come face to face with a slightly pissed off Desdemona. The Alpha had sent her Huntress to complete a mission and she ended up taking twice the amount of time to do it, simply because she had other things that garnered her attention.

Artemis had some information that might be vital to Charmer and would hopefully give her fellow agent some sort of advantage when she would get around to infiltrating the Institute. It wouldn't be much to go on but if there was one person in the Commonwealth who could still put the intel to good use, it would be Aveline. That woman wielded words and information as effectively as any weapon in her arsenal, living up to her namesake as Agent Charmer.

But much to her shock and surprise, Artemis ended up knocking into Desdemona of all people when she was about to make her way into Charmer's homestead.

Which led to the current situation the Huntress found herself in.

"So, Artemis, anything I should know?" Desdemona asked her as she purchased two packs of cigarettes from one of Sanctuary's traders. While she was sure Dez was partly glad to see her again, Artemis also recognized the irritation in her tone.

" _Yep. She's pissed."_

"Look, Dez, I know I owe you a shitload of explanations but could you at least oblige me for a moment and tell me where Charmer is?" Artemis counter-questioned as they walked away from the market area.

Desdemona heaved a heavy sigh as her shoulders sagged.

"Charmer's in the Institute," she flatly responded, "Has been for the past two days."

Desdemona turned to look at Artemis and found the Huntress wearing a slightly shocked expression on her face.

"…Shit, already?" Artemis asked, "You mean the relay's been built and it actually worked?"

"The relay is at the edge of Sanctuary if you wish to take a look later. But perhaps you would have known that and would have known that I was going to see it for myself if you hadn't missed our last two meetings!" Dez snapped at Artemis.

The Huntress rubbed the back of her neck as she gave Dez a look akin to that of a puppy that'd just been kicked.

That was another thing about Artemis. While the synthetic woman had surefire confidence in her combat abilities, she had little experience in feelings that had nothing to do with fighting. No doubt the synth was feeling embarrassed and she was looking for some way to express a proper apology to Dez.

Desdemona gave a weary sigh and she put a hand on Artemis' shoulder.

"Artemis, working for the Railroad bears a heavy weight on all our shoulders, even yours. I can understand that you may want a distraction or some time to cool off," Desdemona said as she looked the Huntress in the eye, a certain softness trying to reassure her agent, "But this moment right now? We're practically making history here. We have an agent _inside_ the Institute. I honestly never thought we would make it this far, but we have."

Desdemona's expression hardened a little as she let go of Artemis and clasped her hands behind her back.

"But you are among one of our best and most capable agents and we need you more focused now more than ever. Because I can't shake off the uneasy feeling that despite everything we have achieved thanks to you and Charmer, this is only the beginning"

Desdemona pulled out and lit a cigarette, taking a puff from it.

"The real fight starts now. And one mistake, one moment of carelessness that deviates us from our objective will cost us everything. I need you to understand that."

Artemis understood that of course. For the three years she's worked for the Railroad, it always felt like they were walking on a tightrope with the winds of destruction blowing from every corner.

There were plenty of risks to be taken but now the Railroad was clearly committing itself to a path that they will not be able to back out of. Everyone in the organization was going to have to give it their all and perhaps more if they had any hope of living to see the end of this war.

"I understand Dez," Artemis responded, straightening her back, "I haven't let you guys down before and I'm not going to start doing so now. With Charmer poking around the Institute, no doubt those eggheads are going to step up their game, but I'll make sure to be ready for them."

"I doubt one could prepare themselves to face whatever the Institute might have planned," Desdemona said, the corners of her lips twitching into a small smile, "But I appreciate your dedication."

Desdemona gestured Artemis to follow her and they both went into Aveline's homestead. The redhead agent made herself comfortable on an armchair in the living room area while Desdemona went into the kitchen. Artemis couldn't help but quirk an eyebrow, seeing how casually Dez wandered around Charmer's home, almost like she owned the place.

Dez came back with a bottle of wine and two glasses and set them on the coffee table in the middle of the living room.

"Want one?" she asked Artemis.

"Isn't it a little too early to be drinking?" the redhead asked as she watched Desdemona pour wine into one of the cups.

"Not for me, it isn't," Dez calmly said as she took a sip.

Artemis sighed. "What the hell. Pour me one," she said. She might as well offer to be Desdemona's drinking buddy in an effort to cheer her up. Dez didn't take up drinking unless she was celebrating or there was something truly bothering her.

And Dez definitely did not look to be in a celebratory mood.

"So, how did Charmer build the relay?" Artemis asked curiously.

"She had help," Dez responded as she handed a full glass to Artemis, "Charmer mainly gathered supplies and materials. She sought assistance from one of the Minutemen's technicians when it came to actually building the thing. Sturges was his name."

"I've met him before. Great guy," Artemis said with a grin, "Gotta say I'm impressed. I knew the guy was damn talented when it came to building things out of scrap but building a teleportation device with random crap is just genius." She looked into her glass and swirled the liquid around a bit. "But I figured Tom would've wanted in on this as well."

"Actually, Tom did help. I brought him here with me and he was the one who ended up completing it not even a day after we arrived," Desdemona responded as she sat down on the couch closest to the coffee table.

"Geez, the guy takes being a workaholic to the extreme," Artemis said as she put the glass to her lips and downed her drink in one go, "Wow, this is some pretty good stuff. Where is Tom by the way?"

"Tom's currently taking a nap," Desdemona said, "The man had avoided sleep ever since we left HQ and made it here, so it's obvious he would burnout eventually." She gently shook her glass of wine and took another sip.

"I might have also thrown in a sleeping pill or two into his Nuka Cola," she added nonchalantly.

Artemis looked up at her with widened eyes.

"Really? Is it that hard to get him to get some shuteye?"

"You have absolutely no idea," Desdemona said with a frown before she downed the rest of her drink, "I didn't have much of a choice. Tom needs to take a goddamn break because the last thing I need is for him to crack under pressure when we need him the most. So it was either the sleeping pill or knocking him out with a pistol whip."

"Shit. I guess I can understand," Artemis said and then sighed, "Poor guy. The Institute's really gotten to his head, hasn't it?"

"I'm afraid so. Carrington had warned me years back that his psychological health was slowly deteriorating," Dez said, remembering the doctor's warning about Tom's paranoia, "But where am I going to find someone with Tom's technological brilliance if I kicked him out? He's the reason why the Railroad is a lot better armed and equipped than before. Back when I first joined we didn't have ballistic weave, gauss and railway rifles, not even the armored coats we issue to most of our heavies. Hell, back then we were considered lucky if any of us got our hands on an assault rifle or some decent armor."

Desdemona poured herself another glass of wine. "Not that I would ever kick him out in the first place. The kid doesn't deserve that. He just has his own way of coping with the Institute's shit. I can only hope that once our fight is over, he and others who are suffering similar predicaments like him can get some sense of normalcy back."

Artemis slumped back into the chair while Desdemona treated herself to more drinks. Soon, the bottle had been emptied between the two of them all the while they sat in relative silence.

Eventually, Desdemona spoke up.

"You've been wandering the Commonwealth for over three weeks. Did you at least do what I asked of you?" she asked.

"Yeah, I checked on Mercer and Frey safehouses like you ordered," Artemis responded.

"What's their status?"

"Things are running quite smoothly at Mercer Safehouse, so far. Charmer did a good job of clearing out the raiders around there and with Outpost Zimonja's seclusion and proximity to the Commonwealth's northern border, we might be able to safely move any potential packages. Hangman's Alley on the other hand…"

"I brought some heavies to look after Frey but it's still not a good place to send synths yet. Between the Raiders, Brotherhood patrols, and the daily skirmishes fought between Super Mutants and Diamond City Security, the surrounding area is a freakin' warzone. Even had to borrow some of Charmer's scrap supplies to set up a few turrets there just to put our agents at ease," Artemis concluded.

"Very well. I'll see if I can pass off a message to our people at Frey," Desdemona said, "I should have them survey the area without putting themselves too much at risk. As for Mercer, I suppose we can start putting that route to use. High Rise has been looking out for another synth that is ready to be moved out, and I suppose now's a good time as any to go for a test run."

Artemis nodded in agreement while Dez moved to sit in a slightly hunched position, her fingers tapping against each other. It was one of the Railroad Alpha's usual stances whenever the proverbial gears in her head started spinning. It was a while before she focused on Artemis once again.

"So, tell me," Desdemona began, "You were looking to find Charmer. Why exactly?" she asked looking at Artemis directly in the eye, "Oh and for the record, you're a lousy liar Artemis, so don't bother trying to pull a page out of Deacon's playbook. I want the whole truth."

Artemis sighed because trying to pull a page out Deacon's playbook was exactly what she intended to do. Not that it was going to work. There was no way in hell she was gonna weasel her way out of this.

"Well, it is something you should know," Artemis conceded, "Do you remember when I told you that the Institute had some sort of failsafe in place against runaway synths? The kind that basically causes us to 'forget' any and all important details, including the location of the Institute?"

Artemis remembered the time she escaped. As soon as she left and put some distance between her and C.I.T., she was struck with an intense pain in her head. Humans would have described it as a migraine, only in this case, once the pain subsided, Artemis realized she suddenly couldn't remember the names or identities of the Institute's staff and leadership, where exactly the Institute was located nor the many classified (and possibly unethical) projects that she would've normally had access to as a Courser.

Dez gestured for her to go on and Artemis continued, "Despite that failsafe, there are times where I get these…how would I describe it? Like flashes or glimpses of my time in the inside."

"Well, I had another sort of flash as I was leaving HQ to check on our safehouses. So I made a quick detour to Goodneighbor to see if Dr. Amari could access whatever information had just wormed its way into my head."

"Hold on a moment," Desdemona interrupted, "How come you can get these sort of flashbacks but Glory can't? She refused the mind wipe just like you and she remembers little about the Institute."

"I honestly don't know much myself," Artemis replied, "Might depend on what tasks we were assigned during our time under the Institute's thumb. This really isn't Glory's favorite subject but from what I was able to pry off of her, she mentioned something about continuous underground expansion and maintenance tunnels. So we can assume that she was a maintenance worker. On the other hand, I was a Courser and one of the Institute's pet projects. She wouldn't have had the same clearances nor would have met the eggheads in charge like I have."

"I see," Desdemona nodded her head in understanding.

"Technology might have something to do with it as well," Artemis added, "Glory joined the Railroad what? Like seven or eight years ago? And that's not taking into account how much time she had been working in the Institute since her creation and how long she would have spent wandering the wasteland since her escape. Compared to me and the technology used in my creation, she's a slightly more outdated Gen-3 synth…just, uh, don't tell her I said that."

Desdemona ignored the Huntress' accidental jab at Glory. "Okay, I can understand that part. Now, what was Amari able to extract from your mind?"

"Some sort of data that I thought Charmer would have liked to know. It wasn't much information to go on but I figured that sharing it with Aveline could've worked to her advantage."

"Artemis, what information are we talking about here?" Desdemona asked with a mix of curiousness and impatience.

"It's on the leader of the Institute," Artemis admitted. She had to admit that she found it kind of funny, the way Dez's jaw almost dropped upon hearing that bit of news. But as expected, Desdemona quickly composed herself and Artemis prepared herself for the telling-off she was going to get.

"You've just had a glimpse on the leader of our enemy and you didn't think to run it by me first?" she reprimanded.

"I was going to notify you. I sent a runner, carrying the message that was meant to be seen only by you and Deacon, from Mercer to HQ, while I made my way here. I didn't expect to find you in Sanctuary," Artemis responded, narrowing her eyes at Dez, "Besides, I figured that Charmer should've been the first to know since she's the one risking her life going to the Institute!"

"And you think I don't know that?!" Desdemona suddenly raised her voice, and that surprised the both of them. She set aside her brief moment of anger and calmed herself.

Artemis, on the other hand, was wondering why Dez got defensive all of a sudden. This might confirm some suspicions she's had about the two of them.

"Sorry," Dez muttered, "If the information was vital to Charmer, then I suppose you were right to bring it to her first."

"Don't worry about it boss," Artemis assured, "And honestly, it's not much anyway. All I recall is that the leader of the Institute holds the title of 'Director' but the synths and the younger generation of scientists referred to him as 'Father'."

"Father?"

"Yeah. Apparently they call him 'Father' because it was with his DNA that the Institute was able to produce synths that didn't look like trigger-happy metal zombie rejects out of a prewar sci-fi flick. It was the key to perfecting us human-like Gen-3 synths."

"And did you recover anything else?"

"No. That was all that Amari was able to pull out of my mind without resorting to experimental lobotomy," Artemis said with a chuckle, "I wasn't even able to remember how this so called 'Father' looked like. Really wish I had more to offer though."

"No, it's okay," Desdemona slumped back into the couch, "But now we've got new questions…just who exactly is this 'Father', apart from him being the leader of the Institute, and why use his DNA?" Dez tapped her chin as she tried to make some sense out of this revelation, "If they needed human DNA, I'm certain they could have chosen from many others within the Institute. I wonder why him specifically?"

"I'm afraid that's gonna be up to Charmer to figure out now that she's inside," Artemis responded.

Dez sighed as she reached into her pocket and fished out a cigarette.

"You should really tone it down a bit with the cigarettes," Artemis spoke as Dez lit the cigarette and took a drag from it, "I've seen some medical images and pre-war holotapes on smoking and it does some really nasty shit to your lungs."

Dez ignored her warning, flicking some ash away and taking another long drag.

"I'm going to get her killed, aren't I?" she spoke with a weary tone, "I basically threw her right into the wolves den just so she could contact Patriot and gather as much intel as possible."

She threw her head back on the cushy side of the sofa and pinched the bridge of her nose, "I didn't take into account how the Institute would receive her and I didn't properly plan on how she would go about infiltrating their organization. I doubt they would welcome someone who's screwed with their operations with a smile on their face."

Artemis shook her head in disagreement. "Hey, come on Dez. Don't talk like that. Charmer knows what she signed up for."

Artemis got up from her chair and walked over to her boss.

"Besides, she has a reason to be in the Institute. She's looking for her kidnapped kid, right? Charmer was going to find a way into the Institute anyways, with or without our help. We just gotta have a little faith in her is all," Artemis said as she patted Dez on the shoulder. Dez merely sighed as she tossed the cigarette to the floor.

Artemis kept studying Desdemona, noticing a glint of sadness and worry in her eyes. The woman was clearly struggling between staying hopeful or resigning herself to the possibility that she had sent another agent to their death. An agent that she clearly loved.

" _No more beating around the bush. Time to get to the bottom of this."_

"You care about her, don't you Dez?" Artemis asked, breaking the brief silence and hoping to steer Dez away from gloomy and melancholic thoughts.

Desdemona looked back at her with a flabbergasted expression, as if wondering how Artemis could ask such a thing.

"Of course I care about her!" Dez responded, "I care about everyone under my command. I may not seem to show it but-"

Artemis held up a hand to interrupt her. "Not what I meant boss," she said as an amused smirk slowly appeared on her face, "You _care_ about her…if you know what I mean and I think you do," the redhead said in an almost sing-song voice while waggling her eyebrows.

Desdemona found herself speechless for a moment there.

" _No, that can't be possible. I could've sworn we were keeping our relationship a secret!"_

"I…I need a drink," Dez said, suddenly feeling flustered as she reached for the wine bottle but remembered it was empty. Her next course of action was wishing that the ground beneath her would just open and swallow her.

Artemis hoped to break the somber mood and perhaps getting her boss to fess up and admit that she had feelings for a certain blonde agent would help ease the stress and worry. Well, maybe not so much for Desdemona.

"Hey, I'm not judging Dez" she said, "There's nothing wrong with feeling something more than professional friendliness with our mutual friend. I'm honestly happy for the two of you." She couldn't help but feel amused by the way Dez kept averting her gaze.

"I'm also happy for myself, because it means that means Karla, Terry and Tinker Tom owe me 50 caps each."

Artemis grinned even wider when she saw that Dez's face had become quite red.

"Wait, there's been a betting pool on whether I had a relationship or not with one of my agents?" she asked, slightly mortified and a bit angry that her agents were secretly making bets on her private life.

"No, the betting pool specifically mentioned whether you were in a relationship or not with Charmer and a lot of our folks already suspected there was something between you two. You ladies weren't as secretive as you hoped to be," Artemis said with a slight shake of her head, "Did you really expect the lot of us to believe that those times you wandered deep into the tunnels together with Charmer you were just having a smoke break with her? Especially when the two of you would come back with swollen lips, disheveled hair and reeking of sex?"

"You should also know that Drummer Boy was so ecstatic at the possibility of you two hooking up that he went and wrote some saucy friend-fiction about the both of you. I read it and I gotta admit that if the kid lives through this and settles down in the near future, he's got a promising career in writing erotic novels."

"I really can't believe this is happening," Desdemona said as she buried her face in her hands, unable to hide her embarrassment any longer. She was gonna have to round up any and all of Drummer Boy's creations and burn them once she returned to HQ.

Maybe after she reads a few pages to see if the kid is actually good at writing.

"Oh, don't be like that, boss," Artemis said, "We have a betting pool for pretty much everything at HQ. I mean, every minute could be our last when we're tangling with the Institute. Some of us just want to die a few caps richer when shit hits the fan."

"So yeah, we've placed bets on you and Charmer hooking up. We also have a betting pool on Glory and if she's picked a name for her minigun yet. I have 70 caps riding on her naming it 'Sasha'."

"And Tom's put a bet on Deacon's duffel bag being some sort of portal to another dimension filled with nothing but his disguises."

Dez rolled her eyes at that one. "Okay, you are just shitting me right now," Desdemona said, unbelieving at all the ridiculous behavior that her agents got into behind her back.

"I shit you not," Artemis retorted, "It sounds stupid but some of our folks seem inclined to believe Tom's theory and actually put money on it. Sure, one could wonder how the hell ol' Dicky can fit dozens of disguises inside a small travel pack but maybe he's just a very meticulous organizer."

Desdemona chuckled but said nothing. It still annoyed her that she failed to keep her relationship with Aveline hidden from the others, but at least now they wouldn't have to be so inclined to search HQ for every hidden corner possible just to have a private chat. It's not like anything was going to change much.

Though knowing her agents and their corrupt little minds, they'll probably bet on her and Aveline shooing everyone out of HQ so they could defile Dr. Carrington's personal desk by the end of the week.

It would not surprise her if Artemis was the one who would set up that betting pool, the conniving little shit.

As much as she wanted to take the rare opportunity to stay relaxed and mindlessly chat with Artemis, they both had work to do.

"Come on, Artemis," Desdemona said as she got up from the couch, "Let's go find Tom."

"Lead the way then boss," Artemis responded.

Dez and Artemis stepped outside and walked over to the unpowered relay and the Huntress let out a whistle upon seeing the machine as Desdemona approached Tinker Tom.

It might not be in working condition for now but it still left quite the impression. To think that Sturges and Tom built this out of random junk…

Meanwhile, Dez nudged at Tom's sleeping form with her foot.

"Time to get up Tom."

Tom's eyes sprang open and immediately sat up.

"Who? What? Where?" he mumbled as he rubbed his eyes and looked up at Desdemona, "Oh, hey Dez! What-" He turned to stare at the woman beside Desdemona. "Oh shit!"

Before anyone could react, Tom shot up from where he was sitting and had wrapped his arms around the redheaded woman, pulling her into a bear hug.

"Damn Artemis! It's been a while girl! We've all been missin' you at HQ!" Tom said.

"Yeah, I doubt that everyone missed me," Artemis responded as she patted Tom on the back, "But I missed you too buddy. Now, could you let me go? It's getting kinda hard to breathe."

Tom let her go and Artemis made a show of coughing and wheezing dramatically. Desdemona watched their interaction and deep down she couldn't help but smile. They were practically a family of sorts, a dysfunctional one at times, but a family nonetheless.

"Artemis, do you intend to leave before nightfall?" she asked the other woman.

"Yeah, I was planning on it," Artemis responded, "Why?"

"There's something I have to ask of you. I need you to escort Tinker Tom back to HQ. He's already done his part here and he will no doubt have plenty of things to do once he's back at our place."

Artemis looked over at Tom and shrugged.

"Eh, sure thing, boss," she said, "I just hope he doesn't mind extra company."

"Extra company?" Desdemona asked.

"Artemis!"

The redhead agent turned to look at Isabel jogging up to where they stood. She now wore a clean blue mechanic jumpsuit with the Red Rocket logo and carried a heavy looking backpack that seemed to be filled with assorted junk and scrap.

"I see you've been on quite the shopping spree, Izzy," Artemis said as she walked over to Isabel and pecked her on the lips. Dez quirked an eyebrow while Tom shyly looked away.

"Dez, Tom, this is my girlfriend, Isabel. Isabel Cruz," Artemis introduced while Isabel blushed and waved meekly at them.

Desdemona simply nodded in her direction. She found it hard to believe that the shy young woman that stood before her was also the one responsible for unleashing a horde of crazy robots out into the Commonwealth.

Oh yes, she knew all about 'The Mechanist.' Aveline and Artemis had given a full report to Dez on everything that occurred in the week that both agents had travelled together a few months back. From answering a distress call from an ambushed caravan, to fighting a new group of raiders known as Rust Devils (Because that's just what the Commonwealth needs. More treacherous groups of psychopaths.), and it all led to confronting the Mechanist in their hidden lair.

And the Mechanist turned out to be some young woman barely out of her teens who only wanted to make the Commonwealth a better place by playing hero. And like everyone who wanted to play the hero in the wasteland, Isabel only ended up adding more problems than solutions.

But Artemis seemed to have held a fondness for the woman for a while now and was helping her correct her mistakes by hunting down and destroying any rogue robots that Isabel picked up on. And it seemed that their mutual partnership grew into something more over time.

"Did you find Aveline?" Isabel asked Artemis.

"No…she's not here in Sanctuary," the redhead responded, "She might be at the Castle, doing some jobs for the Minutemen," she lied.

"So, we're going there next?" Isabel curiously asked.

Artemis shook her head. "No. I'm taking you back home," she said as she pointed at Desdemona, "Dez here is a mutual friend of ours and she'll pass on the message. In exchange, I gotta take our buddy Tom to where he lives, so I'm gonna drop him off by Bunker Hill," she turned to look at Tom, "If that's all right with you."

"Yeah, yeah. You could drop me off there. Gotta catch up with Old Man Stockton for a bit before I head to the crib," Tom responded as he left to get his pack.

"Ready to go then, Isabel?" Artemis asked and the woman nodded, "Go wait for me by the gate then. I'll catch up in a minute."

Isabel left for the gate, leaving Artemis and Desdemona alone for a moment.

"Does she know anything?" Dez asked.

"Don't worry Alpha. Our Railroad secrets are safe with me. I don't like lying to her but it's a safety measure I'm aware I have to use, which is why I'm going to drop Tinker Tom at Bunker Hill. He can make his way to HQ from there," Artemis responded, "In the meantime, I take it you're going to stay here until Aveline comes back?"

"Yes. I think I will though I'm hoping she'll return soon."

Artemis nodded in understanding. "In that case, I'm heading out then. Send my regards to Charmer when she comes back."

She turned away to head over to the gates of Sanctuary but stopped after taking a few steps.

"Oh and for the record Dez, I know I embarrassed the hell out of you a while ago but I'm honestly happy for the both of you," Artemis said, looking over her shoulder, "All the more reason to fight to see tomorrow ain't it?"

"I suppose so," was all Dez said, giving a light chuckle. She watched Artemis turn back and approach her. Before she knew it, the Huntress pulled her friend into a warm hug, which Desdemona responded in kind.

"Charmer's gonna come back," Artemis assured, "And when she does, it'll be our turn to kick the Institute's ass for once."

"I can only hope," was Dez's response, "Take care out there Huntress."

Artemis smirked and turned on her heel, heading over to the front gate where Tom and Isabel were waiting for her. The trio left Sanctuary and Desdemona realized she was now pretty much alone as she waited for Aveline to return.

Desdemona looked behind her to stare at the defunct molecular relay, which still stood ominously at the edge of the settlement. Her mind wandered to thoughts of Aveline and wondering if her agent was doing well in the Institute. Despite her worries, she had to recognize that Aveline was a resourceful woman and she would not go down so easily, no matter what the Institute might have planned for her and everyone around her.

…

Three more days went by since Artemis' visit to Sanctuary, which now totaled five days that Aveline had been inside the Institute.

Desdemona had been staring at the ceiling for the last hour as she lay in bed, unable to sleep. She turned on her side and looked at the alarm clock. With a deep sigh, she got up from the bed and decided to pack up her belongings. She wasn't going to leave now, but it was mostly likely that Dez would leave in the morning or the next day.

As much as she wanted to stay, she had been away from Railroad HQ for more than a week and that was not a good impression to make, especially in these decisive moments that her organization found itself in and when most of her agents would kill for a break like the one she enjoyed staying here in the settlement.

Desdemona put on her clothes and wrapped her scarf around her neck, deciding to take a small midnight walk around Sanctuary.

At one in the morning, Sanctuary was quiet and almost devoid of life. Everyone was tucked away sleeping in their rooms and only a handful of guardsmen were out to keep watch over the settlement. Plenty of turrets made up for the lack of manpower during the night.

Dez made her way to one of Sanctuary's exits, the one that faced the small bridge that led up towards Vault 111. The vault that held Aveline in cryo-stasis for more than 200 years.

She had heard stories about some of Vault-Tec's experiments and many of them gave Dez the shivers. The Institute may be all kinds of messed up but Vault-Tec was definitely on another level when it came to fucked up experiments.

At least Vault-Tec was long gone now (or so she hoped), while the Institute remained a very real threat to the Commonwealth at large.

Desdemona walked over and sat on a dried tree stump outside the settlement, a little off from the main path. There were no guards but three machinegun turrets and a laser turret were enough to keep trouble away from that side. Dez reached into her pockets to fish out another cigarette.

However, before she could light it, she was startled when she saw a flash of blue light up on the hill by the vault.

" _Wait, blue light? That could only mean…"_

Finally, it seemed that Aveline had returned. At least that's what Dez hoped. She stayed put however, in case that the Institute instead sent a synth or Courser to spy on Sanctuary. She patted her waist to look for her gun but she left her weapons in her room.

" _Shit. I must've left in a hurry."_

Desdemona was about to get up and turn back to get her pistol when she noticed that a lone figure was walking down the hill, heading for the settlement. Dez looked closely and felt relieved when she saw that it was indeed Aveline who had made it back.

She noticed that the blonde woman kept a brisk pace as she walked and…

" _Wait…where is her son?"_

Desdemona noticed that her agent had returned alone.

"Aveline!" Dez called as the other woman approached the settlement.

Aveline, however, either did not seem to notice her or chose to ignore Dez as she continued her quick pace and didn't even look in Dez's direction as she entered Sanctuary. Desdemona got up to keep an eye on Aveline and noticed that instead of heading for her actual house, Aveline headed for the ruined one that remained in Sanctuary.

Desdemona's relief turned into a sense of dread as she quietly followed Aveline to the place she had once called home.


	8. Chapter 8: Revelations

Sanctuary had become a growing settlement in the past months and the influx of new settlers and drifters meant that more living space was required to accommodate everyone in order to provide them a somewhat comfortable and safer place to stay. Some of the old houses that miraculously stood for more than 200 years since the bombs fell were given a few quick repairs and a bit of a makeover to make one feel more at home. The houses that were too rundown and unsalvageable however were scrapped and new homes and structures took their place in the empty lots they left behind.

But there was one house in particular that stood the test of time. That one was left untouched per the orders of its ancient owner and stood as a relic of the past, letting the imaginations of Sanctuary's people to run wild on what prewar life must have been like.

Desdemona now stood in front of that house, contemplating for the past ten or so minutes whether she should continue to follow Aveline and go inside or if she should let the woman have her space. She noticed that her agent looked to be completely shut away from everything around her and Dez had to wonder what it was that Charmer had found during her stay.

Whatever it was that she came across, it was enough to put her in a state of distress.

With a quick breath, Desdemona made up her mind and took a few cautious steps as she made her way into Aveline's prewar homestead.

The first thing she felt was a chill run up her spine after she passed the doorway. For some inexplicable reason, it felt cold all of a sudden, especially since the air had been rather warm for most of the night. It felt like she was stepping in a frozen crypt where the memories of Aveline's past had been buried. She didn't want to imagine what it would be like to step into Vault 111, which was a literal frozen crypt.

Desdemona felt like she didn't belong there. Like her presence was a blasphemous desecration of a place that her friend and lover considered sacred ground.

Quite ironic, considering that she didn't think twice about desecrating the tombs of the Old North Church to establish their HQ within its catacombs. But that was done for the sake of the Railroad's survival as it was the last decent hiding spot their organization had at their disposal. But this…this felt different for some reason. This was Aveline's own house, one of the last personal remnants of a bygone era in the Commonwealth.

But there was no turning back now and Desdemona had no other option except to move forward but not before she looked around her surroundings. There was no source of light other than the moonlight illuminating the house through holes in the roof and broken windows.

She saw what must have been considered a living room, worn out sofas arranged around the now broken television that was in view. The kitchen was not far off; the counter, the fridge and other appliances in the same spot untouched for two centuries.

Speaking of the counter, Dez couldn't help but notice what looked like a picture frame perched on it. Curiosity got the better of her and she walked over to it, blowing away the dust as she picked up the frame and looked at the picture.

Aveline was cradling a baby in her arms as she had what Desdemona believed to be the most beautiful smile she had ever seen plastered on the prewar woman's face. Dez emotions swirled, imagining how happy and carefree the woman must have been in her time, only to have her world shattered and waking up in a Commonwealth that looked nothing like the one she was accustomed to.

Next to Aveline stood a man who must've been in his late twenties to early thirties. He had short, unkempt hair and some stubble on his chin. He too, smiled at the camera and while it wasn't as bright or overly loving as Aveline's, it was enough to indicate that he was happy to enjoy a moment of peace with the woman and their child. Desdemona turned the frame to look behind it and found something written on the back.

 **Nathaniel and Aveline Strauss celebrating Shaun's first month!**

 **October 15, 2077**

The distant sound of sniffling caught Desdemona's attention, reminding her of why she was trespassing here in the first place. She gently placed the picture frame back on the counter and headed down the hallway. She walked past the bathroom and what was once a laundry room, before reaching the end of the hallway and finding two additional doorways. She peeked through the one to her right and came across what looked to be an infant's room.

A crib stood in the center, still standing after all these years. Wooden blocks and all other sorts of toys were scattered across the floor.

And sitting in the farthest corner in the room she found Aveline. Her knees were tucked to her chest as she rocked gently back and forth, tightly clutching what looked like a baby's blanket.

Knowing who this room belonged to and seeing Aveline in such a state of panic and distress, it didn't take long for Desdemona to put two and two together. Anger began to bubble within the Railroad leader as she clenched her hands into fists.

" _The Institute is going to pay dearly for this. For everything."_

So many people had been lost to the Institute. Families were broken apart as loved ones were kidnapped and replaced with synthetic versions of them. Various settlements over the years had been subjected to massacres, University Point remaining fresh on everyone's minds. She had lost her wife along with many friends and fellow agents to them.

And now, it seemed that Aveline's son had been lost to the Institute as well.

Desdemona took a moment to let her emotions simmer down before she took one cautious step towards the woman. She tried to be careful not to spook Charmer but noticed that the blonde woman stilled when she heard the sound of her approach. She still didn't look up at Dez though.

"Aveline," Dez whispered softly.

"Just leave me," Aveline muttered, not even looking to see who had intruded on her.

Desdemona had half a mind to follow Aveline's request and let her be alone. She knew that in a moment like this some people would rather be by themselves. And honestly, Dez wasn't the best at comforting others. How do you comfort someone who had just lost their child?

But if there was one person out there who was just as stubborn as Aveline to at least try, it was Desdemona.

Desdemona took a few more slow steps towards Aveline and kneeled down so her face would be at level with her agent's.

"Charmer…" Dez murmured and saying Aveline's code name must have been a better choice because Aveline immediately lifted her gaze and looked towards Desdemona. Her eyes were already puffy and they widened upon recognizing the intruder.

"…Desdemona?" she whispered with a hint of disbelief, "You're…you're still here?"

Desdemona tried her best to give her a small but reassuring smile as she took one of Aveline's hands into both of her own and gave it a gentle squeeze.

"Yes, Aveline, it's me," Dez responded.

Aveline reached out with her free hand and placed it on Desdemona's cheek. "So it is you," she said as a small hint of a smile made its way to her lips, "I honestly didn't expect you here. I thought you left for HQ after I was gone."

"I should have returned to HQ but…" Desdemona felt her cheeks go a bit red at what she was about to admit, "I stayed because I was waiting for you. As your leader and as…"

" _Your lover,"_ Dez thought to herself as she shook her head. The situation called for a delicate hand and she needed to remain professional while also letting her agent know that she would be there for her if need be.

"…someone who cares about you, I felt it was my responsibility to make sure that you returned safely."

Desdemona wanted so badly to lean forward and capture Aveline's soft lips with her own. To ease the pain and turmoil that she sensed was plaguing the blonde woman. To embrace her and tell her that everything will be all right.

But that would be a lie.

At the moment, things were far from all right. And they were about to get more complicated. Especially, with Desdemona's next question.

"Aveline…where's your son?"

That caused Aveline to pull her hands away from Dez and wrap them around herself instead. Her mouth kept opening and closing, as if she wanted to answer but she couldn't find the words she needed to express. Desdemona saw tears prickling around the corners of Aveline's eyes and she began to regret her curiosity.

She shouldn't have asked her that kind of question, especially when the answer seemed to be quite obvious.

With a heavy sigh, Dez spoke.

"I'm sorry for your loss," she said as she brushed her fingers along the top of Aveline's hand and thought quickly about what else to say, "I…I know there isn't anything I can say to lessen the pain of losing a child but I want you to know that-"

"I've lost him," Aveline suddenly spoke although her voice was barely even a whisper, "But not in the way you think."

Aveline had tried to stop herself from blurting that last part but it was futile. She looked back at Desdemona, who was now looking back with a puzzled expression on her face.

"What do you mean?" Dez asked.

"I found him, Dez," Aveline confessed, "I found Shaun, but…I might as well have lost him all over again."

Aveline's cryptic choice of words only added more to Desdemona's confusion, which in turn slightly irritated her because she was not getting a straight answer out of Charmer, but it also awakened a dormant fear that there was a lot more to this than they had anticipated.

"I don't think I fully understand," Desdemona admitted, "You found your son? And he's alive?"

"Yes," was Aveline's flat reply.

"But why isn't he here with you?"

Aveline fidgeted as she continued to avoid looking at Desdemona. She wasn't sure if she could answer that question yet or if she even wanted to.

" _Please Dez. Ask me anything but that,"_ She thought to herself but knew it would be useless. Desdemona was a stubborn woman who would get the answers she wanted sooner or later.

"He considers the Institute his home," was her simple answer and it was also the truth. Shaun considered that place his true home and even went as far as to praise the people who took him at the cost of his father's life. While she saw those people as vile cold-blooded kidnappers, he saw them as his saviors.

"So they brainwashed him or something like that?"

Aveline simply made a small, whimpering noise in response.

"Aveline," She looked up to the other woman and saw that while Desdemona kept the neutral expression that was so typical of her, the woman had a pleading look in her eyes that made her heart lurch, "Talk to me, please."

Part of her felt that she still wasn't ready to open the lid on everything that she had discovered in the past five days she had been in the Institute. She was honestly surprised she hadn't gone insane yet.

But Desdemona was a rather persistent woman and trying to keep secrets like these from her could prove devastating to their relationship.

Aveline hated to admit it, but talking about it, as painful as it might be, would be a slightly better option. As much as she would love to avoid reality, at least temporarily, she was also aware that hiding secrets, bottling emotions and pretending that nothing ever happened would only do more harm than good in the long run. Maybe not so much for her, but for everyone around her, especially in a situation like this, where she had pretty much dragged the Railroad and perhaps the Minutemen into a bigger high-stakes game.

Aveline took a deep breath as she pondered on what she would say next.

"Promise me that this stays between us," she said, "What I'm about to tell you is…it's something I'm still trying to wrap my head around and I'm still wondering if it's all real or just a bad dream but…no one else needs to know about this…yet. Not the Minutemen and not the rest of our friends at HQ. Maybe in due time, I'll tell them the truth but it's something I'm not ready for at the moment."

Desdemona gave her hands a tender, reassuring squeeze.

"Aveline Strauss, I give you my word that anything you tell me now will stay between us and only us for as long as you see fit," Desdemona assured her and Aveline felt a small sense of comfort upon hearing her full name fall from Dez's lips.

However, it was yet to be seen if Desdemona would continue to be as comforting when she hears the truth. Aveline took a long, deep breath and she began to talk.

"My son," Her voice suddenly became low and shaky, "Not only is he alive…he is…he's the leader of the Institute."

The silence that followed would have allowed a pin drop to be heard. Aveline's gaze fell upon the floor while Dez stared blankly at her, trying to absorb that detail.

"…How?" Desdemona tried to get a hold of herself, "You said that he was an infant when he was kidnapped and then grew up ten years when you saw him in Kellogg's memories. There's no way that a child would be…" Dez trailed off as her mind scrambled to come up with possible answers.

" _If Aveline had been locked in cryo-stasis then she wouldn't have had a grip on the passage of time,"_ Desdemona thought, _"What if her kid wasn't taken ten years ago but instead had been taken for longer than that?"_

"It is exactly what you're thinking, Dez," Aveline said, breaking the momentary silence and Dez couldn't help but feel impressed at this woman's talent for being able to read other people at the right moment. Impressed and slightly terrified, "The ten year old boy I saw in Kellogg's mind? He was just bait, to lure me into finding the Institute and I took it hook, line, and sinker. That boy is actually a prototype synthetic child made to look like my son…when he was ten years old…"

"It wasn't ten years ago that the Institute infiltrated the vault, murdered my husband and took my baby," Aveline steeled herself for the next part and continued, "It was sixty. That moment happened sixty years ago." She let out a bitter laugh as she continued, "Take away the two hundred years I've been on cryo and I'm still the same 29 year old woman who ran for her life towards the nearest vault, while my son is an old man who is more than twice my age. And he is also the man in charge of the Institute, the man who has made himself an enemy of the Commonwealth's people."

"My son has been your enemy all along, Desdemona."

"…My God," was all Dez could mutter in disbelief.

Seconds ticked by but the uncomfortable silence between them made it seem like hours instead. Aveline looked up to gaze at Desdemona's stoic expression. While it was something she admired about the woman (mostly because she knew Dez was a lot softer than she let on) at that moment, however, it caused Aveline to worry since she was unable to guess what kinds of thoughts were running through the Railroad Alpha's head.

Not that Aveline could blame her. Even she didn't know what to think or do with everything that's happened ever since she used the damn teleporter and landed into the belly of the beast. A beast that she might have inadvertently unleashed on the Commonwealth due to her connection with Shaun.

No. Not Shaun. He now prefers to go by…

"So, he's 'Father' then?" Desdemona asked, breaking the silence.

Aveline's eyes widened in shock at the possibility that Desdemona might have known something all along and kept it from her.

"…You…You knew?" She muttered and Dez felt a pang of guilt upon seeing the look of hurt and confusion in Aveline's eyes.

"Not exactly. I mean, in a way, yes…but…" Desdemona sighed as she pinched the bridge of her nose. She was no doubt sounding a bit incoherent right now so she cleared her throat and looked Aveline in the eye.

"It's a bit of a long story," Dez began, "While you were away at the Institute, Artemis showed up here in Sanctuary searching for you, said she had some important information to tell you. I'm sure you're aware that the Institute implements a failsafe so escaped synths can't recall the exact location of their hideaway. But in Artemis' case, the failsafe didn't seem to work to the fullest and every once in a while bits and pieces of information about the Institute come back to her."

"She informed me that her most recent flashback involved the leader of the Institute and that he was only referred to as 'Director' or 'Father'. While Artemis was unable to remember his true identity, she figured that you could've made use of that information to your advantage. But now, I guess it doesn't matter anymore, does it?"

Aveline shook her head slightly and then asked, "What are we going to do now?"

Desdemona thought on it for a moment. Both of them would need some time to think this through and readjust themselves in order to face the new obstacle thrown their way. But she doubted Sanctuary would be the place to do it.

"We will need to return to our HQ," Dez stated, "From there, we'll be able to gather our thoughts and come up with our next course of action."

"Are we going to leave now?"

"The sun is set to rise within the next hour or two," Desdemona responded, "If we wish to leave without being seen by the settlers and local guardsmen, then, yes, we should leave now. If they do see you, no doubt they'll have plenty of curious questions and I know you're nowhere near ready to talk about it again."

"No. I'm not," Aveline confirmed with a shake of her head.

"Then wait outside of Sanctuary, by the same path that leads to the vault. I'll go get our packs and meet you there."

"All right. You're the boss after all," Aveline said as she leaned in and gave Desdemona a quick peck on her lips. They both got up and left the house, Aveline going back the way she came when she entered Sanctuary while Desdemona headed for Aveline's other house.

Desdemona was outside in a minute, her belongings having already been gathered before Aveline's return and while her agent still had most of her equipment on her, Dez did round up some extra food, ammo and medical supplies just in case.

The Railroad Alpha met up with the blonde woman and together they walked from Sanctuary, following the stream that lead to the river and then taking a detour to the their right, to stay out of sight of Sanctuary's front gate and the Red Rocket settlement.

As they walked, Aveline had requested that they avoid any other Minutemen settlements on the way back to HQ. While she wasn't sure if news of her journey into the Institute had spread outside of Sanctuary, she didn't want to take that chance and rest at a local hub, only to end up being hounded and cornered by fellow Minutemen, curious settlers, and her friends who would no doubt unleash a barrage of questions about the damned place. Questions that she wasn't ready to answer and probably never wanted to answer again.

Dez didn't seem to argue. On the contrary, she agreed that it might be for the best to grant Aveline a moment of solace so she could put her thoughts in order.

Desdemona finished up laying some mines that Aveline had given her around the cabin they were staying. A first and last line of defense to ward off any potential threat to the two women.

She made her way inside and opened a trapped door that led to a secret tunnel. The cave beneath Gorski Cabin would do for now as long as they didn't venture all the way down to the irradiated part of the tunnel. There was still a lot of distance to cover before they arrive at Railroad HQ, but Aveline was already tired, no doubt feeling like she carried a heavy burden on her shoulders.

The woman in question had rid herself of her army jacket and ballistic vest, wearing just her plain white t-shirt and army fatigues, as she finished unrolling her sleeping bag and laid down on it as Desdemona approached her.

"I've set up a small minefield topside," she said as she sat down on the floor next to her prone agent, "But just in case, I'll keep watch here while you sleep. When you're done, we switch. I'll take a brief nap while you stand guard. Then, we'll be on our way to HQ.

"Are you sure you don't want to sleep now?" Aveline asked with a light chuckle, "I could make some space for you here."

"No. One of us needs to stay up and keep an eye out for danger," Desdemona simply replied, "Now get some rest, Aveline," she said as she bent down but then seemed to hesitate for a moment before giving the other woman a peck on her cheek.

In a manner of minutes, Aveline had fallen deep in slumber, her soft breathing filling the silence in their makeshift safe zone. She must have been quite exhausted for sleep to overwhelm her so quickly.

Desdemona was just as much exhausted as her agent but she doubted she would get sleep any time soon. Not with the thoughts that were beginning to swirl around her mind. She expected things to become a bit more complicated but she never anticipated such a twist.

The person who led the Institute, who also happened to be the source of so much grief, paranoia and hardship to the Commonwealth and to the Railroad in particular, is also Charmer's own son.

Their sworn enemy for all these years had been this 'Shaun' that Aveline desperately searched for in the past months ever since she came out of the vault. She wondered how the woman would cope with all this. Aveline seemed to gain a bit of calm but they both knew that this…'situation' would hang over her head. It is one hell of a wrench that just got thrown into the Railroad's potential progress.

Desdemona reached for a rag and took out her pistol. Cleaning her gun should provide a momentary distraction.

She looked at Aveline and sighed. Dez felt for her and couldn't help but admire that her agent was attempting to adjust herself to this new reality. Anyone else would have probably gone mad with that kind of bombshell dropping onto their lap.

Perhaps it was a little too soon to render judgment, but knowing Aveline, she would push forward as always. And when the time comes…

" _Do you really think she's going to stand by you?"_

Desdemona stilled as she could feel a new sense of doubt creep into her mind.

" _Do you really think she's going to forsake her son, her own flesh and blood, to side with you and your dying organization?"_

Desdemona gritted her teeth as she took apart her gun and began to clean it, albeit in an unnecessarily aggressive manner.

No. She did not want to believe that Aveline could turn against her despite the possibility of it happening.

Shaun may be her son, but she must have seen with her own eyes the cruel lengths the Institute was capable of reaching to get what they want. She had done so much for the Railroad and for Desdemona that it was impossible to think that Aveline would throw away all that time and dedication for whatever the Institute could promise her.

And then there was the night they shared in Sanctuary. The spark of lust and desire that she saw in Aveline as they made love.

" _You knew this liaison of yours with Charmer was a mistake. And yet you went and played right into her hands anyway."_

Desdemona put her pistol back together and placed it in its holster. She then got up, dusted herself off, and walked over to a far corner of the room, where she could still keep an eye on Aveline without bothering her with the smell of dry tobacco.

She lit a cigarette, taking several puffs as she stared at the wall. Hopefully, a smoke break would ease the tension she was feeling from the slightly toxic yet logical thoughts that began to gnaw at her.

But no matter how many smoke breaks she would take, Desdemona would not be able to stop the seeds of doubt planting themselves into her mind.


	9. Chapter 9: Storm Clouds Approach

A/N: _I'm sorry that it's been a while since I last updated this story and the fact that it took me a little longer than I had originally wanted or anticipated to complete this chapter. But I ended up writing and rewriting this chapter plenty of times since I just wasn't all too happy with the earlier versions that I had planned. So I settled with this final version; otherwise the year will be gone by the time I decide to update! And we can't have that!_

 _Also, a moment of shameless advertising. If any readers here are interested, I have another Fallout story titled the 'The Wolf and The Nightingale' featuring both husband and wife as they venture out into the wastes in search of their kidnapped child. If you haven't already, go ahead and take a looksee. The second chapter for that story will be up either later tonight or tomorrow but hopefully no later than that. It is available here as well as on AO3._

 _Now with that out of the way, enjoy!_

…

Desdemona woke up with a jolt, eyes wide and a hand clutching her chest, breathing erratically as she frantically looked around her surroundings. It had felt too real…

The images of their headquarters burning around her, seeing Deacon, Glory, and many others fall lifelessly before her as they tried to fight off overwhelming odds from the Institute, who had cut off their escape route. She saw Artemis fight off a few Coursers only to become still and motionless as one of them used a recall code on her and Aveline's expressionless face as she drew a pistol and shot Desdemona in both kneecaps, ending her resistance as she fell to the floor, weak and defeated. She couldn't even get a word out before she felt the barrel of Aveline's gun pressing in between her eyes as she pulled the trigger…

" _It wasn't real…"_ Dez thought to herself as she waited for her heartbeat to slow back down to a normal pace, wiping sweat from her brow, _"It wasn't real…It was just another fucking nightmare."_

After a few moments, she breathed a sigh of relief when she realized she was in her private room and that she could hear the voices of some of her agents through the narrow walls of HQ.

She hadn't had nightmares since the Switchboard incident and even then they were not as frequent or as intense as the ones that have been recently disturbing her in the night. They were getting much worse with each day that passed to the point that Desdemona had been unable to sleep for the past three days.

It just felt so real and foreboding, as if she were receiving a premonition of the fate that awaited her and the Railroad. The possibility of betrayal from Aveline's part began weighing heavily on her mind.

Dez wasn't aware of the time nor did it matter to her anymore. She would not be getting sleep anytime soon, so she tossed her blanket aside and slowly got up, walking towards her wardrobe. After changing into her usual outfit, Dez made her way into HQ. Some of the agents greeted her as she made her way to her desk, and one of them even had the courtesy of bringing her a mug of coffee a few minutes later.

Things seemed surprisingly lax at the moment, despite the reality that the organization was already at a critical stage of this conflict. Even her better known agents were all present and milking every free second they had to do whatever they wanted before they were called back to their duties.

Deacon, for once, was not making a nuisance of himself, sitting quietly in a hidden corner reading a book. Glory was at the weapons workbench, cleaning and carefully tending to her minigun almost as if it were her child. Artemis was working with Tinker Tom on a wireless communication device she had been planning to test and distribute among heavies and other field agents. An earpiece commonly used by Institute Coursers and built into the helmets of the Brotherhood's power armor suits that would now be used by their agents, allowing them to communicate with HQ or more specifically, with Desdemona, while out in the field.

Everyone seemed to be present, except for one person.

Aveline's absence was not lost upon Dez and she sighed when thoughts of her agent sprang to her mind. She was the reason that Charmer was not present, since it had occurred to Dez that the blonde's apparent acceptance by the Institute or specifically, it's Director, put her in the perfect position to infiltrate and gather intel on their enemy from the inside.

Charmer had not been wholly enthusiastic of the plan but she didn't protest either. She understood that she would have to work as a double agent in order to gather as much information on the Institute as possible.

They had become rather distant in the days that followed since the duo returned to headquarters. Desdemona tried to justify it with the two of them having a lot on their plate to deal with at the moment. With Aveline running a few jobs for the Institute as part of her inside cover, Dez focused on coming up with contingency plans for any and every possible situation, all while dealing with the usual paperwork and holding the Railroad together.

She would never admit to herself that such work and planning was mostly meant to provide a distraction from the struggle building up within her. The struggle between what the heart wanted and what logic dictated.

The time would come soon where Aveline would have to make a decision and pick a side in this war and unfortunately for her, there would be little room for diplomacy. The Railroad have proven themselves to be a constant thorn in the Institute's side, one that 'Father' would want to see removed soon.

On the other hand, the feeling was quite mutual with Dez. She didn't care for peace with the Institute. She lost too many friends, comrades, runaway synths and her own wife for that. They had done with the Commonwealth as they pleased for far too long and they sooner or later, would need to face the consequences for their actions. No, if there was any chance for her to repay the Institute ten-fold for all the pain and fear they brought out into the Commonwealth, she was damn well going to take it.

But how would Charmer fit into all this?

Whether she accepted it or denied it, it had become obvious that the Woman Out Of Time was the key to ending this war. Whoever would emerge victorious in this conflict would only be able to do so with her assistance. That much was true for the Railroad since they only made it this far thanks to her. But at the same time, there was little to stop her from siding with her son and the Institute as well.

It would be the worst case scenario, but an understandable one at that. Weren't mothers supposed to stand by their children unconditionally, regardless of the kind of person they would become? The Director of the Institute was her son, while Dez and the Railroad were initially strangers to her in a strange land. They were merely a means to an end, a means to find the Institute and…

And there it was again. The doubt, the suspicion that sunk its claws into her mind like a parasite, feeding off of her insecurities and her paranoia.

Was she wrong to think like this? Was she wrong to suspect that the feelings Aveline's displayed at Sanctuary, about the Institute, about Shaun, could have been an act? An act to gain sympathy from Desdemona and get her to let her guard down?

Could their night together simply have been another elaborate act? The kind that would allow her to easily wrap the Railroad Alpha around her finger?

No it wasn't an act. It couldn't have been an act. Dez saw it in the woman's eyes, the genuine swirl of emotions, especially with the knowledge of what became of her son. She wouldn't join those people, even if their leader shared her blood…would she?

She couldn't help but feel a little self-loathing at the signs of distrust that had begun to worm their way into her mind and heart towards the woman who had done nothing but help the Railroad at every turn.

But isn't that how the story goes? To be betrayed by the very person you thought cared for you the most? The very person you thought was devoted to the cause?

"Desdemona?"

Dez looked up from staring at the mess of papers on her desk and was surprised to find herself face to face with the very woman that had been invading her thoughts. She inexplicably arrived much sooner than expected

"I see you're back, Charmer," Dez simply greeted as she looked into her agent's blue eyes, trying to read her expressions. Aveline had always been…lively, to put it that way. Just as much a troublemaker as Deacon or Glory. But now, she had become difficult to read. She has definitely learned a lot in her time with the Railroad.

' _All the more to hide whatever plots she has in store for you.'_

That damnable voice was back again, taunting her from the deepest crevices of her mind. Dez remained focused on Aveline as she tried to brush away the dissenting thoughts.

"Yeah," she lamely replied as she rubbed the back of her neck, "I was…doing some work for the Institute. Specifically, something about a new strain of crops at a farm south from here."

Dez raised an eyebrow, slightly puzzled expression showing on her features. Despite the fact that modified crops were basically Tom's biggest nightmare made reality, still…the Institute had so far given Aveline oddly lenient tasks to work with. First it was taking out the raiders at Libertalia and now this.

She could feel it, the storm coming in the distance.

"Is something wrong, Dez?"

Desdemona shook her head lightly.

"I'm not sure," she replied, "They seem to be giving you some favorable tasks to deal with. I find it strange, honestly…Almost as if they're trying to show you a sympathetic side of themselves to win you over."

The last part was muttered under her breath and meant to be heard by no one but it seemed that Aveline heard it anyway.

Dez noticed the other woman's lips twitch into a slight frown as she kept her eyes on Dez. Did she somehow offend her agent?

Come to think of it…why was Aveline here first when she should have probably gone back to the Institute to report the completion of her mission?

Aveline sighed as she tried to straighten herself up. "Dez, I stopped by here to keep you posted so far on my work, but I was also hoping if you could spare a moment to talk over some things?"

"I'm listening," Desdemona simply replied as her eyebrow quirked.

The agent now had a slightly more exasperated look on her face. It was becoming clear that the woman had approached her for another reason and was starting to feel a little disappointed that the Railroad Alpha was either not getting the hint or pretending that she wasn't getting it. And in Desdemona's case, it may have been a little of both.

"In private?" she insisted.

Dez looked at the woman standing in front of her with a scrutinizing gaze. In the end, she relented and gestured Aveline to follow her without saying a word. Some of the agents gave the pair curious looks, which Desdemona responded with a cutting glare, one that practically yelled 'Unless the Institute's attacking, I am not to be disturbed'.

Dez led Charmer towards the back and into the escape tunnel, taking a left turn towards her personal quarters. Perks of being the boss; she called dibs on the only room that vaguely looked like it was meant for personal use and no one was going to disagree with her.

She shut the door and locked it after Aveline made her way in, the blonde taking a seat by a small table in the corner of Dez's room. Desdemona approached her and took the seat opposite of her

"This room is as private as it gets," Dez spoke, "Now, what is it that you wanted to talk about?"

She watched as Aveline pursed her lips as she twiddled her thumbs, giving an indication that there seemed to be a lot that the woman wanted to discuss but did not know where to begin. Dez made no signs of rushing her however, patiently waiting for her to find whatever words were necessary before she started talking. The agent let out a breathy sigh as she opened her mouth to break the silence.

"I…I have a lot on my mind and truthfully, I don't know where to start," she said as she looked at Dez, who did not say anything to allow Aveline to continue, "It hasn't been easy for me, but I'm trying to come to terms with…well, everything. Trying to convince myself that this isn't some sort of weird dream. Trying to accept the reality that my baby boy who I sought to rescue from the Institute is now an old man in charge of the very organization who took him from me. This…is all kinds of messed up?" she stated more than asked, making gestures with her hand as she spoke, "No, that's an understatement. This all kinds of fucked right here, but believe me Dez, when I say that I'm trying to pull myself together…

"I already understand, Charmer. You don't have to-"

"No, you don't understand, Desdemona," Aveline interrupted her, "If you did, then I wouldn't be having this conversation with you now."

Desdemona heaved a sigh as she tried to make sense of Aveline's suddenly cryptic demeanor. "What are you on about now?"

The blonde agent paused for a moment, staring intently at the woman sitting across from her, almost as if studying her. Dez was surprised to see a look of concern spreading across the agent's face.

"You haven't been sleeping well, have you?" Aveline asked, the frustration that laced her tone a moment ago now replaced with worry as she went a little off topic, "You…don't look so good."

Well, that was a rather polite way of telling Dez she looked like shit. Her slightly disheveled hair, the dark circles that were forming around her eyes and her skin going a tad bit paler were obvious signs that the Railroad leader was perhaps not in the healthiest state at the moment.

"No," came the simple reply.

"…Nightmares?" Aveline guessed.

Dez didn't respond. She only nodded her head in confirmation.

"Do you…want to talk about it?"

"No," she repeated, "It wouldn't matter anyway. As if talking about it is going to make them disappear," her tone becoming somewhat harsh.

Aveline's gaze dropped and she felt her frustration with her boss and lover creep back into her mind. Desdemona had built up many walls to guard her emotions from anyone and everyone and just when she helped knock them down little by little; it seemed that Dez had hastily built them back up again within the eighteen days that had passed since she came back from the Institute.

The Desdemona that had tried to comfort her the night she came back to Sanctuary was seemingly gone. Now she had become colder, more distant and any attempts at small talk were quickly rebuffed, like now. She could see it in the Alpha's eyes that she regarded her with suspicion.

Aveline was saddened and perhaps a little disappointed by the thought that Dez would lose trust in her so quickly. After everything she had done for her and the Railroad. After all the moments they shared together, whether it was just talking a little about themselves over a glass of bourbon or having some 'fun' away from the prying eyes of the other agents at HQ.

It was to be expected though. Aveline couldn't have actually thought that Dez would welcome her each day with open arms and a kiss on her cheek upon learning that her lover and best hope for the Railroad happened to also be the mother of their most hated enemy. The mother of the man responsible for many of the misfortunes that fell upon their organization and the Commonwealth as a whole.

She meant what she said. She was trying her best to absorb everything that had been going on without cracking under the pressure. If only Desdemona could truly understand her like she supposedly claimed. If only she could understand that she was feeling the weight of the world on her shoulders. Aveline knew that the time would come where she had to choose, no ifs, buts, or in between.

' _Your friends or your son.'_

Desdemona took a deep breath and stared at Aveline for a moment. Her expression was not one of anger though. She looked more tired and weary than angry.

"What is it that you want from me exactly?"

Aveline paused for a moment, contemplating what it was that she truly wanted from the other woman, "What I want…What I want is your honesty. I want you to stop hiding whatever it is you're thinking like you always seem to do. Honestly, you're starting to give Deacon a run for his money when it comes to this kind of crap." Her voice began to rise slightly in volume.

Dez parted her lips as if wanting to speak but Aveline held a hand up to silence her and let the agent finish.

"I'm not an idiot Dez. I've seen a few subtle changes with you and I know you've become less trusting of me after I came back from the Institute. I honestly can't hold it against you though, because I would be too if our roles were reversed. But with all due respect, you're not the kind of person to beat around the bush. So please, stop bottling away your personal feelings and just say what it is that you want to say!"

Desdemona shook her head in disagreement.

"My personal feelings are irrelevant in thi-"

"They're relevant to me!" Aveline angrily shouted, slamming a fist on the table, gaining Dez's full attention. The agent realized she was getting irrationally angry and with a deep breath, settled back into her chair, waiting for her feelings of aggression to recede.

Dez, on the other hand, did not seem to take kindly to this as her jaw clenched and she narrowed her eyes at the woman, casting a glare at her. She realized that Charmer now had her in a corner.

On one hand, being honest with Aveline and blatantly voicing her concerns and suspicions about her would be a tremendous folly of the Alpha's part. To give a potential enemy insight on your emotions…

But trying to push the matter aside or lying to her would yield negative consequences all the same…

The agent continued to speak however, reeling in her sudden aggression, her voice softer now, "I know that after everything you've suffered, you have every right to doubt my allegiance. You have every right to worry that I might cause another incident similar to the Switchboard."

"But we can't keep dancing around each other like this. Please, for both our sakes, whatever you're thinking about me…just let it out already," Aveline almost pleaded and Dez found that she couldn't deny her any longer.

"I want to trust you…but I can't."

There. She said it.

It was the truth in some respect. Desdemona wanted to trust Aveline but logic and experience dissuaded her from that thought.

"Charmer, your relation with the leader of the Institute complicates even further what was already a complicated situation," she continued, "Though I've already made it clear that you being his mother, it puts you in a perfect position to get close to the Institute. However, how long can you delay the inevitable? For now, he's asked of you to get rid of raiders led by a rogue synth and check on crop 'improvement'," she said as she made air quotes with her fingers, "Soon, though, he'll want to know who's side you're truly on and you would be foolish to think that he won't ask that in the days to come."

Aveline slumped in her chair as she considered Dez's point. "You think I don't know that?" she asked, "It's all I've been able to think about in recent days, Dez."

"It's a logical thought," Dez said, "You've went through hell and back in a world that is not even your own just to find your son, Charmer. And now you've found him. Do you expect me to truly believe that you would turn against him in an instant and throw all that effort away?"

"And throw everything I've done for the Minutemen and the Railroad to the wayside?" Aveline shot back, her narrowed eyes and twitch of her lips giving away the anger that was starting to bubble within her once again, "Are you implying that just because the man in charge of the Institute is my son, I'm suddenly going to overlook everything they have done out here and get cozy with them? The Institute is responsible for murdering my husband and taking our son and turning him into the self-righteous, Machiavellian maniac that he is today!"

Desdemona noticed that Aveline's eyes began to glisten and she wondered if she was being too harsh on her agent by deliberately pushing her buttons. She was inflicting this pain on her, all because she couldn't bring herself to fully trust her. Because she worried that the woman before her would destroy what was left of her life. She did not carry the Railroad all these years just to see it destroyed by someone she thought she could trust.

By someone she loved, or thought she loved.

"Still, some part of me wonders if there still a bit of humanity left in him. A small part of him that will let him see reason or at least reflect upon in his moments of solitude," Aveline spoke again, softly this time.

Desdemona felt the urge to reach out and take her hand into her own, tell her that together they could work together to find a way out of this dilemma.

Her trust issues made her refrain from providing such acts of affection, reminding her why she had distanced herself from the blonde agent in the first place.

' _This relationship was a mistake and you know it, Desdemona.'_

' _After everything Charmer's done for you, this is how you repay her?'_

Her thoughts warred with each other in her mind and she just wished for the haunting voices within her conscience to quiet down.

"Desdemona?" Aveline returned the Alpha's attention back onto her, "I want to know…where do we stand then?

The woman in question sat there in complete silence, elbows resting on the table as she placed both hands under her chin, eyes staring off into the distance. She was searching for an answer, anything that could put this dilemma to rest.

"Aveline, I…"

' _Don't be a fool. This relationship will never work and you know it.'_

' _She's in your corner, Dez. You know she always has been.'_

Desdemona paused, trying to gather the courage to say the words that she believed needed to be said, "I think…"

' _Happiness and comfort should be the last things on your mind. Too much is at stake here for that.'_

' _She needs you…and you need her.'_

"…I think that whatever we had between us…"

' _Tell her it's over.'_

' _Tell her you love her.'_

"…we need to call it off for the time being."

She felt a twinge of pain and guilt upon seeing the hurt expression on Aveline's eyes and she quickly looked away from her, at anything that wouldn't let her focus on her agent's sadness.

She was doing the right thing, or at least that's what Dez told herself. She had to be doing the right thing. She could not afford this kind of distraction, especially one that stemmed from a relationship that should never have happened in the first place.

She heard Aveline give a long and tired sigh before moving around her chair a bit.

"I guess this was bound to happen soon."

Charmer's anticipation of their relationship suddenly hitting a brick wall did nothing to assuage the guilt building up within Dez. If anything, it felt like a dagger had been plunged into her already strained heart.

"But I understand," Aveline continued as she got up from her chair and headed for the door, "The Railroad comes first after all and we shouldn't put it in jeopardy."

Those last words brought Desdemona back to the night they shared together at Sanctuary, the night where her doubts and worries nearly ruined what eventually became the happiest and most cherished moment in a long, long time.

But unlike Sanctuary, where Aveline spat those words bitterly, now her tone was quite different. She spoke those same words with weariness and resignation, no trace of anger or bitterness whatsoever and Dez felt her heart sink at the realization that she had perhaps ruined the only good thing left she had going in her life.

"Shaun is no doubt expecting me at the Institute," Aveline said as her hand touched the doorknob, "I'll return for any other assignment as soon as I'm able, boss." And before Dez could say anything else, the agent left, closing the door behind her.

She sat there by her table, glancing at the door, hoping that Charmer would come back, if only for a moment, to allow her the chance to rectify this situation. But the sound of fading footsteps was all she heard until there was just silence.

Desdemona raked a hand through her hair as she searched for anything to do or think about to take her mind away from thoughts about Aveline. She noticed the bottle of bourbon that sat on her table and reached for it, pouring herself a full glass. She stared at it melancholically for a few moments before sighing, pushing the glass away and grabbing the bottle instead, taking a long swig from it.

The bitter liquid burned down her throat but she welcomed that sensation, if only to feel something other than the misery and emptiness that threatened to overtake her.

…

" _Good Morning Commonwealth from Radio Freedom! It's 7:00am and all seems quiet. Stay tuned for any additional broadcasts!"_

Preston was already wide awake for the past two hours, having put aside a copy of Jane Austen's _Pride and Prejudice_ that he had borrowed from Aveline as he made his way to his desk to read the latest scouting reports.

He wondered how his friend and fellow lieutenant was doing so far. It had been a while that he heard from her, the only information that he had gotten recently about her was from a few scouts and patrols who had spotted a familiar blonde woman following another woman closely throughout the Commonwealth. This was over two weeks ago already and there was no doubt in his mind that the woman she was following was none other than Desdemona.

It was strange to think that she was actively avoiding her friends and loyal comrades-in-arms in the Minutemen. Preston figured that the trip to the Institute had taken a bigger toll on her than he thought. The fact that no one had spotted a ten year old child wandering with both women was slightly disconcerting though. Had she been unable to find Shaun?

Well, whatever happened, she seemed to be sorting it out with Desdemona. Hopefully, the woman would watch out for Aveline and comfort her in her time of need.

Part of him wanted to believe that his friend and the Railroad leader had perhaps gone out of their way to elope somewhere far from the Commonwealth, like some couples do in a few of those prewar romance novels that Aveline has in her library, but that would be far from the truth.

But what would he know? It's not like he's actually read those kinds of books. Certainly not to look for ideas on how to charm a certain French nurse.

One who he did not notice was standing right in front of him.

"Monsieur Garvey?"

Preston perked up immediately upon hearing Curie's gentle voice as she stood by the doorway of his personal office (which also doubled as his quarters), and noticed the mug she held with both hands as the unmistakable smell of freshly brewed coffee invaded his nostrils. She made no signs of moving, patiently awaiting Preston's permission, so polite and innocent she was.

"You can come in, Curie," the General gave her a reassuring smile as he gestured for her to enter, "You don't need to await my approval as long as I'm not holding a meeting here."

"I simply did not wish to presume," she responded shyly as she approached Preston, "Here, I brought you something to relax," she said, handing over the cup of coffee to him. He took a sip and then gestured for Curie to take a seat.

"I haven't had coffee this good in a while," Preston complimented and looked at the woman sitting across from him, "Did you make this?"

" _Oui_ ," she responded quietly in confirmation as her cheeks reddened slightly, "I am glad that you found it acceptable."

Preston simply smiled at her as he looked over another stack of reports that had been sitting on his desk, waiting for his attention.

' _That can wait a little longer,'_ he thought as he turned his attention to Curie.

"I hope you're settling down at the Castle's med-bay," he said, "I know it's not much to start with but it should give you the space you need at the moment to start with your medicinal practices."

The synth woman who was also now the newest and most promising addition to the Castle's medical staff beamed a smile at him.

"Oh, it's been wonderful so far," she said with such joy, a reminder that even in this grim and violent world, there was still the occasional ray of sunshine that lifted the spirits of those around them, especially Preston, "And the other doctors have been so kind to me, which I find strange since they are aware that I am a synth. I would have expected them to regard me with suspicion but that has not been the case so far."

That was mostly Preston's doing. He figured that, while possibly risky, it would be better if he and Curie were up front about her being a synth. Trying to cover it up would have most likely caused more displeasure amongst the Castle's staff than being honest about her true nature. Besides, the woman proved incapable at keeping secrets, so the truth about her would have been found out sooner or later.

Luckily, Dr. Turner and Dr. Michel did not treat her with doubt or suspicion; rather they welcomed her with open arms, especially when they understood her situation that she was not an Institute-made synth, but instead an almost two centuries old Ms. Nanny robot whose consciousness, or main programming in scientific terms, was transferred to the body of a brain dead synth. Plus, her knowledge of illnesses and disease far outweighed the medical knowledge of both doctors combined, and they were veterans when it came to treating others!

Even though some of the Minutemen were still worried about Institute infiltrators, especially after some time ago they had caught one trying to sabotage the water purifier at Starlight and another who had been plotting to arm and set off explosives at one of the Minutemen's armories at County Crossing, Curie's kind and polite demeanor won over plenty of folks at the Castle. So much so, that he may have overheard some of the male soldiers and a handful of females as well thinking out loud about wanting to get to know the 'flawless French doctor' a little better. Poor bastards were not aware that Curie only had heart eyes for their General.

And even Preston was not aware of that, considering that his infatuation with her was quite mutual. Oh, the irony.

"While I do admit that I did have a preference for a larger space to work on medicine and other promising experiments, this will do for now," Curie assured, "You and Madame Aveline have done so much for me already that I feel it is almost criminal to ask more of you."

"Hopefully it'll be temporary," Preston told her, "As we speak, the crew I sent down to clean up the halls beneath the Castle is working tirelessly to fix up the place and hopefully within a week or two, we could make use of the extra facilities."

"That is most certainly good news," she said, "To see Fort Independence restored to its former glory…"

"General, I need a word with you."

Preston and Curie turned their attention to the doorway, where the voice came from. Standing there with a folder in hand was Minutemen Captain Kayla Sturnn, one of Preston's advisors and the commander of the Minutemen's Heavy Infantry branch. Without her, the Minutemen would not have been able to procure most of the power armors that lay scattered across the Commonwealth and would not have been properly trained to use them even if they did.

Aveline simply knew her as 'Curie's stone cold twin' due to having a similar hairstyle and physical resemblance to the synth. The telling differences were that Kayla was slightly more toned due to her training and the scar she had just above her nose.

"Ah, it seems you have a guest, monsieur," Curie said to Preston and she got up from her chair, "Perhaps we can continue to talk another time, yes?"

"Uh, sure. Of course, Curie. My door's always open if you need me," he said, pretending to not notice the quirk in one of the Captain's eyebrows.

Curie smiled at him and turned to leave.

"Madame," she greeted politely and Kayla simply nodded in acknowledgment.

When no one but the General and the Captain were left, she approached Preston's desk and laid out a map of the Commonwealth on its surface. She then handed the portfolio to him, who opened it and rifled through some of the documents as she sat across from her superior.

' _At least a dozen scouting reports,'_ Preston thought as he searched through them.

"Care to fill me in on this, Captain?" he asked the woman.

"Some of our patrols have been picking up a lot of activity around the historical district of the Commonwealth and it's vicinity," she stated, "If I'm a gambling woman, it seems that every major player here in the Commonwealth is looking to make some grand move."

"For starters, there has been increased activity from the Gunners at Mass Fusion," she said as she pointed to the location of the Mass Fusion building on the map, "They've been getting a steady flow of supplies and reinforcements, yet they're not making any other kind of move. Normally, with the kind of manpower they would have at Mass Fusion by now, they could be preparing to attack any of the local settlements, such as Goodneighbor. The only other conclusion I could draw is that they're preparing to go on the defensive."

"Going on the defensive?" Preston asked. It was unlike them to take such a stance. These assholes were bloodthirsty and quite calculated. Not many groups out there could force them to dig in, unless…

"We've been getting reports of Institute synths wandering near the Mass Fusion building, no doubt scouting it for weaknesses and additional points of entry," Kayla confirmed, "And that's not all. Brotherhood Vertibird patrols have pretty much doubled around the area since the past week."

"So, whatever is in Mass Fusion has got the interest of the Gunners, the Institute and the Brotherhood of Steel…must be one hell of a trophy they're after,"

"Perhaps," the captain said, "But that can be dealt with later. I have it on good authority that a battle erupting there is not going to happen overnight."

"And why is that?" Preston asked, raising an eyebrow out of curiosity.

"Because the Institute, the Brotherhood and, if my source is correct, the Railroad, are all after another prize."

Kayla stood up and tapped her finger on a specific location on the map. Preston's eyes followed and when he saw where the captain was pointing at, he let out a weary sigh.

It just had to be the third largest independent settlement in the Commonwealth, behind Diamond City and Goodneighbor. One that had so adamantly refused protection from the Minutemen at every turn. Protection that they would probably need for the coming storm.

Bunker Hill.

…

 _I've been building up a playlist for this story that usually perks me up whenever I hit a wall while writing. Songs that I listened to as I planned out this chapter were 'Panic Room' and 'World War Me', both by Theory of a Deadman._


	10. Chapter 10: Winds of War-Part I

_A/N: I had intended this chapter to be released almost a week before but 1) Procrastination had gotten the better of me. My college habits refuse to leave and have carried over into the world of writing and 2) this chapter took me so long to finish and by the time I did, I was staring at a 15k word monstrosity that I'm pretty sure was snarling at me so I had to split it in two parts._

 _Even then, this chapter is long enough on its own, and I honestly don't think I've interrupted the flow of the buildup towards the coming battle. Part I takes place the day and night before the Battle of Bunker Hill and Part II, which I'll get around to posting possibly around next week after a few tweaks, takes place in the morning before the battle. A third chapter of TWATN should be out by next week as well or the one after._

 _Just a heads up, from here on out, this story will slightly deviate from canon as you will see. I hope you enjoy!_

…

"Here he is, General."

Captain Sturnn led Preston down into the tunnels beneath the Castle. He had been rather curious on how the captain knew so much about a potential takeover of Bunker Hill, so she instead mentioned how she would rather show him and brought the General to one of the rooms that had been recently cleared of pests and debris.

A large table in the center came into view, along with an adult male who was sitting at the far end of it. His eyes kept roaming around as he fidgeted, a nervous look in his eyes. It would seem that the captain had turned this space into an interrogation room of sorts and Preston was not liking it.

"Care to explain this to me, Kayla?" He turned to face the woman with a frown etched on his face. Bringing in people for a private interrogation…this was not the Minutemen's way of doing things and Kayla better have a damn good reason for resorting to this kind of tactic.

"Easy there, General," she said as she raised her hands up defensively, "I brought him in for questioning, but it's not like I tortured him or anything."

"Very reassuring," he responded sarcastically, a trait he was not known for until Aveline's influence rubbed off on him, "And why did you think it was necessary to bring in someone for interrogation?"

The woman sighed as she folded her arms under her chest as she gave a quick glance to the other person.

"Two days ago, Sergeant Dunham and his patrol team set out from County Crossing to do their usual route near the BADTFL Offices," she began, watching her 'prisoner' from the corner of her eye, "Along the way, they passed by a rundown house where this fellow here…" she gestured towards him, "…was seen talking to an individual in a clean back trench coat who was accompanied by two of those old model synths. You know…the ones that look like metal skeletons."

"A black trench coat? Are you telling me they encountered a Courser?!" Preston eyebrows shot up in disbelief.

Coursers were supposedly known as the elite of the Institute's synthetic enforcers and though they rarely operated within the public eye, they were a serious threat when encountered. He had made it clear to everyone in the Minutemen that there was little need to risk fighting one if they ran across them in the wasteland. As long as they were not attacking settlements or caravans, they were to be avoided at all costs.

"Yes, they did," the captain confirmed, "They knew your order, but the courser noticed Dunham and his group and opened fire on them before they could fall back. Fortunately, Corporal Rikke managed to fend off the attack in her power armor while the others took care of the synth bodyguards. The courser was wounded but he disappeared before we could capture him or finish him off. Dunham and Private Jenkins were wounded but they're already making a speedy recovery, while Rikke's armor took a moderate amount of damage but the needed repairs won't be costly."

Like many others in the Commonwealth, Kayla had held reservations about the idea of fighting Institute coursers. But while the reasoning of others was that they were afraid of coming face to face with those emotionless killing machines, the captain sought to assess the extent of their strength and combat effectiveness before deciding whether well-equipped squads were free to engage them in combat or not.

Ever since Lieutenant Strauss took out that Courser at Greenetech Genetics, the news had spread amongst the Minutemen ranks like a raging wildfire and some began to question if the boogeyman's enforcers that they have long feared could actually be stopped. If a mere vault dweller was able to take one down (even though she had the synth detective and ghoul mayor at her side at the time, the odds were presumably still not in their favor), then any cautious and well trained wastelander might have a chance to stand up to them.

Coursers have indeed been known to have slaughtered many people at the behest of the Institute, but Kayla realized that many of their known victims so far had been defenseless (or at best, poorly armed) civilians, and cowering, runaway synths, which led to her conclusion that if they were pitted against better armed and better trained fighters, then they were no bigger a threat than any other wasteland scoundrel or wild creature.

Those mechanical lapdogs of the Institute were definitely cold, effective, and certainly tenacious, but they were not as invincible or as unstoppable as the fearful citizens and braggart scientists made them out to be.

"And…" the captain walked away from Preston and made her way to the other end of the table, standing behind her prisoner as she slapped a hand on his shoulder, causing him to jump in his seat, "…They managed to nab this guy before he could run off back to Bunker Hill. Jim is a caravan guard for one of Stockton's trading outfits and from what he's told me so far, there is a lot of dirt to be had on almost everyone there."

Kayla leaned in on the man, a hardened expression on her face as she whispered in his ear, quiet enough that Preston wouldn't hear her lest he interrupt her 'bad cop' routine.

"You're going to tell the General everything you told me. If I find you were lying or purposefully leading us off, I will paint the walls of this room with your brains. Are we clear?"

Jim sat very still as he tried to hide the fact that he was scared shitless of the woman.

"Crystal, ma'am," he whimpered. At that, Kayla walked away and returned to stand by Preston's side.

"So…" she began, "First things first. The General would like to know what your deal with the Institute is."

"The Institute…" he spoke, almost whispered, "Those fellas always come to us looking for information. Since were a trading hub and all, a lot of stories and rumors end up being passed around there, the kind that even those mystery folk want to listen in on."

"Hold on a moment," Preston interrupted before the man could continue, "You're telling me that most of the people and merchants there double as informants for the Institute?"

"It's not like we have much of an option," the man retorted, shaking his head, "They pay us well for whatever information we could offer them. Important stuff, like possible Railroad activities, rumors or clues that lead to runaway synths, and…uh," he quickly shut himself up and the two Minutemen noticed that he was now more nervous than ever, looking around the room as if searching for a possible escape route.

"Go on…" Preston insisted as he and Kayla both quirked an eyebrow at him and when the caravan worker realized there was no way out of this, he sighed.

"…Uh…they…they've also asked some of our traveling caravans to…spy on the Minutemen, on your settlements. Any settlement we go to, we're supposed to keep count on guards, defenses and other points of interest…" he trailed off when he noticed the two of them staring back at him.

Preston sighed, shaking his head wearily with a disappointed look on his face but Kayla's expression immediately twisted into a snarl, a murderous gleam in her eyes which had their 'guest' praying for the ground to open and swallow him up.

"Funny. It seemed you forgot to mention that last part to me," the captain said as she strode over to the man. She grabbed him with both hands by the collar of his shirt, lifted him up from the chair and slammed him into the wall behind him, "And you still haven't answered my question, so let's try again. What kind of information were you selling to that Courser?"

Her grip on the man's shirt tightened as she got up into his face.

"Answer me before I personally drag you into the Glowing Sea and feed your soon-to-be dead carcass to a fucking Deathclaw!"

The caravan employee blanched under the forceful grip of the Heavy Infantry commander, lips twitching as he tried to say something but words wouldn't come to him.

Kayla eased up a little when she felt Preston grip her arm lightly. She then let go completely and backed up a little as she continued to glare at the man, who by some miracle had not crumpled to the floor with how his knees were shaking. The General then turned to look at him.

"Look kid, I think it would be better for all of us if you tell us everything that you know," Preston said before he sighed, "You told my captain here that the Railroad were setting up shop at Bunker Hill, while the Institute and the Brotherhood also seem to have an interest in that place. What are they after?"

"I-uh…I…I," he stammered with a shaky voice.

"C'mon, take a deep breath," Preston assured, hands clasped behind his back, "I'm not gonna lie. You're in a lot of hot water with us. But the Minutemen need your cooperation if we are going to fix this mess that you seem to have created for yourselves. So…what will it be?"

Kayla tapped her foot impatiently but the General shot her an annoyed look, to which she relented, though not without grumbling under her breath.

Jim followed Preston's advice and after taking a calming breath, began to talk.

"The Institute…they wanted to know about a group of synths that ran out on them a few days ago. There are three? Four? Yeah that…four of them and they're hiding in some saferoom beneath Bunker Hill. They were hoping to reclaim them quickly but the Railroad showed up and set up shop around the settlement."

"The Railroad," Kayla scoffed at the mere mention of the shadowy organization, "They've gotten the Institute's boot shoved up their ass more times than any of us could possibly count. How will this be any different from before?"

"Because from what I heard, the people they sent in aren't some random operatives…Heavies, I think they were called. Those guys and gals are apparently the ones that get sent in to handle all sorts of dangerous shit and they've got like a dozen of them there already. Not only that, they're equipped with weapons that I don't think even the Gunners got in their arsenal."

The captain raised an eyebrow curiously at that statement. If that was true, then to her, it looked like the underground organization was putting all their chips on the table in what could possibly be one last gamble.

"Okay. The Railroad is protecting synths at Bunker Hill and the Institute wants them back," Preston paraphrased, "Where does that leave the Brotherhood?"

"The soldiers…well, they've been snooping around lately," he answered, "Many of their patrols pass by Bunker Hill, usually looking to buy a drink and stock up on supplies. I don't know how but they must have learned that we have a lot of business with the Railroad and the Institute…or at least they're suspicious of it. All I know is that they're selling the idea to Kessler that they can protect us, promising to keep the Institute out and clean up the place so we don't have to offer protection money to Raiders or anyone else."

"Awww, how very noble of them," Kayla's voice dripped with venomous sarcasm, "I would have half a mind to believe them if Lyons was running the show. But with Maxson, there's something he wants doubly in return, isn't there?"

"Though, I can imagine it would be a rather tempting offer," Preston chimed in, "Not many raiders out there are crazy or greedy enough to mess with the Brotherhood."

"Kessler thinks that perhaps with them around, we wouldn't have to worry too much about raiders or Gunners," Jim continued, "But some of us know that they want the Hill so they can establish a proper supply line between the airport and the Cambridge Police Station. Not to mention that if they get a run of Bunker Hill, they'll have a lot of influence over our caravan business."

"Why the Brotherhood?" Preston asked with disappointed curiosity defining his voice, "Hasn't Kessler noticed that the Minutemen have been reformed? We could guarantee the same protection without half of the demands they might ask of you. Some of my officers have been reaching out to them but she refuses any offers we make."

"Mayor Kessler just doesn't have any faith in the Minutemen," he answered, shaking his head despondently, "She's especially worried that the Raiders we pay money to would be more likely to retaliate against you guys instead of the tin cans from D.C. She thinks you'll fail them again like before."

"I suppose I can understand her point," Kayla shrugged in response, "But it's not exactly easy to answer a settlement's call for help when half the Minutemen at the time had divided itself into splinter groups, and the other half ended up following Clint into the Gunners or went full Raider."

Captain Sturnn noticed Preston had flinched upon hearing the name of the man who had betrayed the organization he admired. The name of the man who the current General had even idolized at one point when he first signed up with the organization of citizen soldiers. He couldn't begin to contemplate how naïve he had been all those years.

He sighed and focused on the issue at hand. There would come a time where he could deal with the traitor and the Quincy Gunners, but now was not that time.

"Anything else you want to share with us kid?" Preston asked the man in front of him. He had made his way back to the chair and still seemed guarded, but at least he was a little less nervous.

"The Railroad had intercepted some transmissions from the Brotherhood's communication frequencies. They shared with us that the attack is going to happen tomorrow before noon. Mostly as a warning to make sure that everyone else stay out of the crossfire."

"Apart from that…there's not much else I could tell ya, General," Jim concluded with a slight shake of his head, "I already shared everything I knew. I just…I just want to go back home already."

Preston walked over to the man and lightly patted him on the shoulder.

"I understand that you want to leave, but you might want to wait until the whole thing blows over," the General suggested, "In the meantime, I suppose you could stay here for the time being. Feel free to use one of the spare beds and drop by the cantina for a meal or a drink."

The man smiled wearily and thanked him as he got up from the chair.

"If…if it's any consolation…there are some of us at Bunker Hill who are tired of collecting money from the Institute only to hand them over to the raiders. Those same folk also want nothin' to do with the Brotherhood. Folks like Kay and the Savoldi's…Is there anything the Minutemen can do?"

Preston thought over the question, wondering what would be the appropriate response. Their duty was clear; to protect the people at a minute's notice, from any and all possible threats. Those that couldn't be talked down had to be put down.

But this was a rather complicated issue, one that Preston had admittedly hoped to avoid but as history had proven time and time again, there was no avoiding war. Even those who sought to handle things peacefully and diplomatically would have to take up arms against those who scoffed at the notion of diplomacy and continued their reckless or abhorrent ways because they felt like it was their given right, their destiny, to subdue and conquer those around them.

"I'm afraid the Minutemen are unable to involve themselves in the coming battle," Preston softly responded, and the man's hope would have deflated if it wasn't for spotting a slightly determined look in the eyes of the General, "…at least in name only."

A hefty promise, one he wasn't a hundred percent sure he could keep, but he had to try.

"I can assure you that by the time this is all over, Bunker Hill will not be at the mercy of neither the Institute nor the Brotherhood."

A promise, an assured statement, like he would guarantee that the Minutemen would be the ones coming out winning in the aftermath of the coming disaster. He might just be spouting whatever comes to mind but he had to take action. He had to come to terms that a wait-and-see approach would not work out in the long run, just like Kayla had been chastising him for a while now. He knew it, but he wanted to make sure that the Minutemen were ready for when the Institute and the Brotherhood pointed their guns away from the Railroad and each other and directed their line of fire to the growing Commonwealth militia.

Jim smiled weakly and thanked the General in appreciation for going a little easier on him and providing some hospitality before making his way out the room with a Minuteman that Kayla had called over to escort their new guest.

"I don't see why you had to go coddle the prisoner," Kayla reprimanded as she and the General left the room a minute later and climbed the stairs that led directly to his office.

"A bit of goodwill can go a long way, captain," he answered calmly, shrugging off the hint of disapproval from his officer, "It could ensure a more cooperative exchange in the near future. If we were to round up folks like him, demand they speak of their wrongdoings, and then punish them harshly anyways after cooperating, then people would be more inclined to never aid folks like us. Why would they help when they're going to get burned anyway?"

Kayla opened her mouth to speak but Preston raised a hand, pleading her to stay her tongue for a moment.

"I'm not naïve, Kayla. Well, not as naïve as I was when I first joined. I'm fully aware that there are people out there who would take advantage of the more lenient nature of some of us," he said, before looking Kayla directly in the eye, "But you need to remember that you're not part of the Enclave anymore. You're a Minuteman now. You've been a Minuteman for the past eight years. We do things differently here in the Commonwealth."

He saw her freeze for a moment upon mentioning the Enclave. He did not mean to bring up her past suddenly but he needed to grab the woman's attention and remind her that she was now part of a completely different organization, one that treaded carefully upon the use of ruthless measures, leaving such methods as an inescapable last resort.

"And I believe in the goals of the Minutemen," Kayla answered, the hardened look in her eyes wavering slightly, "It's for that reason that I don't want to take any chances. I don't want to see this organization fall apart like it did a year ago because we were soft or careless. Sometimes, I think we've gone from saving people from raiders and mutants to saving them from their own bad decisions." She sighed.

"Bunker Hill would be a testament to that."

Preston stared at her with an astonished look on his face. Well, he should have known better. The woman may have been rough around the edges but in the end she seemed to have her heart in the right place.

"Well, I shouldn't be surprised. Knowing you, you've already come up with a plan, haven't you, Captain?"

Kayla chuckled lightly as a small smile formed on her lips.

"You know me pretty well, General. Good on you," she complimented before pressing on towards the matter at hand, "Normally, I would share my plan with everyone present, but Ronnie is overseeing the construction of an artillery battery at Jamaica Plain and Aveline's location is currently unknown to me. Time is of the essence, so I guess it leaves only us to vote on it."

She sat down by Preston's desk and the General took a seat of his own as they began to plan out their possible involvement in the coming battle.

"The Brotherhood wants to take Bunker Hill, defeat any Institute machines that drop by, and eliminate the runaways hiding there, along with any Railroad agents who resist them. I'm rather inclined to believe that this 'conquest' doubles as a message to the rest of the Commonwealth," the captain went on to explain, "They will not tolerate anyone who opposes them, be they ghoul, synth, or human. And I'm not talking about just Raiders or Gunners. I'm pretty sure they would have no qualms of bullying or even gunning down humans who speak out or challenge their garbage dogma."

' _Wow…she really hates the Brotherhood,'_ Preston thought to himself.

The map she had laid on the General's desk was still there and her eyes looked over the entire map until she fixed her gaze on one location in particular

"While I'm not overly fond of the reckless fools in the Railroad, need them to win if we are to deliver a message of our own to Elder Maxson and his toy soldiers. Remind them that obnoxiously shouting 'Ad Victoriam' in the midst of battle doesn't necessarily make them bulletproof."

She leaned forward on the desk, making sure she had the General's attention before pointing towards the place she intended to carry out her mission.

"For my plan to work, I'm going to need a few sharpshooters…and one that we know of who is familiar with the Brotherhood"

Preston quirked an eyebrow until the realization hit him like a ton of bricks. He let out a low whistle before chuckling to himself, finding humor in that he didn't know who was going to have it worse…the loudmouth merc or the pockets of the Minutemen.

"Oh dear lord…MacCready is going to demand our whole treasury for this."

…

In a quick flash, Aveline found herself back in the Institute. She took a deep breath and brushed herself off from the dirt and dust of the wasteland. She found herself to be too tired for anything after last night's talk with Desdemona, so instead of immediately returning to Shaun, she made a pit stop at Goodneighbor, drinking solemnly at the Third Rail before hitting the sack at Hotel Rexford.

She shook the thoughts away before she could think back on her talk with the Railroad leader. The blonde woman began to move, passing by a few scientists and Institute employees who greeted her with smiles and a 'Good day Mother/Miss Strauss', as she made her way to her room.

Aveline would like to believe she was a good judge of character, able to read people like a book thanks to the experience she obtained from her work as a lawyer. And because of that experience, she could tell that the number of people within the Institute, from the dozens perhaps hundreds that lived here, that were genuinely happy to have Shaun's or rather 'Father's' parent having free reign to wander around the place could be counted with both her hands and still have a finger or two left over.

These may be the brightest minds the Commonwealth had to offer, but they definitely needed to work on their body language. She could hear the whispers, wondering how is it that the Director had given leeway to this outsider, this dirty wastelander who wasn't even a scientist, into the Institute.

She could see it in their eyes, the mild leers, like they wanted to walk up to her and give her a piece of their mind. However, they refrained from doing so and kept up their polite façade, no doubt out of fear that they would incur Father's wrath.

She sighed. She did not care for their tantrums, boiling jealousy or bruised egos. There were much bigger issues to attend to.

"Good afternoon, ma'am," X6-88's monotone greeting drew her attention away from her thoughts as she approached her room.

"Good afternoon, X6," Aveline curtly returned the greeting. The synth was Father's handpicked courser to deal with sensitive matters coming from the Directorate and now he had been assigned as a bodyguard of sorts to the woman while she stayed within the Institute.

She couldn't help but wonder if Artemis would have been in X6's position as Father's chosen one if she never left the Institute. The mere thought of the Huntress addressing her in a monotone voice with a soulless look in her eyes was enough to make Aveline shudder.

"Are you well, ma'am?" X6 asked with a quirk of his brow.

"Yeah…yeah, I'm fine. I just need a small break," she responded.

The courser studied her, almost like he didn't fully believe the woman, but luckily, he did not press the issue.

"Very well then, ma'am," he said, "I was here to inform you that Father would like to speak with you as soon as you returned," Aveline slightly groaned at that.

"Did Shaun say anything about what he wanted to discuss?"

"I'm afraid not. But the matter seemed urgent, so your presence will be required soon."

' _Of course. My presence is practically required everywhere these days.'_

"Fine, fine. Let me at least make myself look a little more presentable," Aveline said as she entered the passcode to open up the door to her room.

"Understood. I will let Father know that he should expect you in the next twenty minutes, if that is acceptable?"

"Fair enough," she acknowledged, "Thank you, X6."

The courser gave her a nod as he left for Shaun's office. She slipped into her the room issued to her and breathed a tired sigh as the doors slid closed behind her. She had enough time for a quick shower, to change into something that wasn't her Atom Cat's outfit, and head for the Director's office.

The space provided for her was unlike many of the rooms she had come across so far in the wasteland. It was clean, sleek, and organized, with its own bathroom and working shower. It was almost enough to remind her…of the days before the vault, before the bombs. Almost…but not enough.

At least in that time period, she had a loving husband and an infant boy to care for, to lean onto as the world around them slowly went into the shitter.

Now, despite being under the same roof as her son, Aveline found herself sharing it with a community of scientists who used the surface world as their experimental playground. Her son, Shaun, who seemed to regard her more as a curiosity, an anomaly of the wasteland, instead of seeing her as his mother, the one who gave birth to him. The one who held so much hopes and dreams for him all that time ago and never got the chance to raise him because the Institute took that away from her.

The fucking Institute took everything from her and left her to rot in the vault and the wasteland that she found herself in.

She pushed those thoughts away for the moment. It would not be wise of her to meet Shaun with anger and sadness bubbling within her. She was still treading a fine line here, with scientists and synths alike wondering if she would eventually embrace their ideals, their goals to secure the future of mankind, well, _their_ idea of mankind's future.

Aveline changed into the jet green jumpsuit she used to wear in her short tenure with the Brotherhood of Steel and left her room, stopping halfway across the walkway to lean over the railing as she looked around her surroundings. The clean space, the waterfall, the handful of green trees scattered about the area.

She would be lying if she said she wasn't a little tempted to stay with the Institute for a while longer. The view within here was nothing less than wonderful. And no doubt that the knowledge and technology stored here could benefit the surface world, allowing it to prosper in a way that hasn't been seen in over 200 years.

" _Almost as if they're trying to show you a sympathetic side of themselves to win you over."_

Desdemona's words broke her momentary trance and brought her back to reality.

She looked down onto the trees and the stream of clean water and figured that if the Institute wasn't so busy hiding away down here and pushing the ethical and even unethical boundaries of science, there could have been lush, green forests and rivers of clean water dotting the Commonwealth by now.

In her mind, Aveline believed that the Institute would be able to do things that actually benefitted humanity, while minimizing or avoiding altogether this 'means to an end' bullshit. But the wrong people were in charge. And even if they were replaced with better people, with less ruthless and more open-minded folks, the Institute's reputation with the Commonwealth had been damaged so far to the point that the people regarded them with hostility and would never trust them in the decades to come.

There was just too much blood on the hands of these scientists and the worst part of all was that half of them justified it as a necessary evil, while the other half truly had no idea of the consequences of some of their actions and experiments since they were purposefully kept in the dark by some of their other peers and superiors.

The kidnappings, the fear mongering, the FEV experiments, University Point, producing synths that had human-like qualities just to use them as tools and the list goes on and on.

' _Does Desdemona really think I want to be a part of this kind of world?'_

Her thoughts then wandered to the mission she completed a week ago with X6-88, when they took on the raiders of Libertalia.

" _You would be bringing one of our own back home while bringing justice upon those who prey on innocents. Is that not what you seek? To make the Commonwealth safer?"_

Aveline had easily spotted the thinly veiled sarcasm in Shaun's tone upon convincing her to take the mission to Libertalia but made nothing of it. She wanted to believe that the Institute would be capable of doing some good, especially to make up for many of their past actions.

But no. This wasn't a mission to eliminate a group of raiders that had been running roughshod over the local populace. That was secondary to them. This was all just to reclaim a rogue synth who had made himself leader of the raiders at Libertalia and what she deemed as a surprisingly petty attempt by her self-assured son to antagonize the Railroad for a faulty mindwipe.

If anything, this reinforced her belief that synths were not much different than humans if they were just as capable of fucking up and making bad decisions that actual humans seemed to be so fond of doing since the beginning of humankind itself.

She felt a bitter taste in her mouth for using that recall code on Gabriel instead of giving him a swift death, but if she was to temporarily win Shaun's trust in order to infiltrate his organization, she saw no other choice.

' _No point in beating yourself up over that, Aveline. It had to be done. Pretty sure these pencil-necks would be a lot more wary of you if you went and deliberately fucked up the first job they gave you.'_

She moved away from her spot and headed towards Shaun's office before she ended up being delayed again.

The man in question had been wrapping up a conversation with Dr. Volkert when she arrived.

"I believe we are done for now, Director. With your permission, I'll be taking my leave."

Shaun gave the doctor an appreciative nod as he turned around to make his way out of the Director's office.

"Good day, Miss Strauss," he greeted her.

"Good day to you as well, Dr. Volkert," she responded with a forced smile, ever the expert at masking her feelings at the right moment. She turned her attention to Shaun after the doctor left.

"He rarely leaves his office," she mentioned, "Is there something I should be concerned about?"

' _Plenty of things you should be concerned about, Aveline.'_

Shaun simply waved it off. "The issue with Dr. Volkert is nothing to worry about at the moment," he said, "But now that you're here, Mother, there is a situation that begs for your immediate attention."

He moved to sit near his desk as Aveline followed behind him.

"About two weeks ago, four of our workers had escaped the premises of the Institute towards the surface, no doubt seeking the assistance of the Railroad. We had been unable to figure out their whereabouts until we've received a tip from one of our informants from Bunker Hill that the escaped synths are hidden within that very settlement."

Aveline was not surprised with that revelation. In her time within the Institute, she had taken it upon herself to read and download any terminal entries that would have been deemed essential. In one of the terminals in the SRB, she had found a list of people out in the Commonwealth that were used by the Institute as informants.

Among some of the more notable figures were Marowski, the late chem dealer from Goodneighbor, Tommy Lonegan, Cait's former caretaker (She might pay him a visit at the Combat Zone again and hear his side of the story) and practically every caravan merchant in Bunker Hill.

Trashcan Carla, Lucas Miller, Cricket, and Doc Weathers. They were all on the Institute's payroll and she couldn't help but wonder what kind of information they might have passed on to the SRB in regards to the Minutemen settlements they had travelled to.

And here she thought that Old Man Stockton's paranoia was a bit over the top. Not to Tinker Tom's level, but almost getting there. It turns out he has every reason to be suspicious of most of the folks in that settlement.

On the bright side however, she might have exactly what she needed to gain leverage over the settlement of Bunker Hill and 'persuade' them to cooperate with the Minutemen. She was not a big fan of blackmail, but Aveline knew it could be quite effective at the right moment.

"I see," she responded with mild interest, "And what's stopping you from reclaiming them?"

"Apart from the fools in the Railroad, nothing. Courser designation X4-18 had been assessing the situation, monitoring their patrols and defenses. It seems they are expecting us and have made an attempt to fortify themselves within the settlement."

' _Well, that's new,'_ Aveline thought. To her knowledge, the Railroad never made any noticeable movements of that scale. They always tried to maintain secrecy and operate within the shadows. This, however, sounds like they're digging in to fight off an army.

"Let me guess. You want me to sneak past them, find the synths and bring them back to the Institute right from under their noses?"

"Ironic, is it not?" a small but amused smile formed on Shaun's lips, "To use stealth against those who think they have mastered it." Aveline made no comment and kept her expression neutral, "X4-18 will accompany you. You will need him in order to bring back designations Z3-22, B2-57, Y9-15, and F6-33 back to where they belong."

"And I'm to do this now?" Aveline asked skeptically. While she wouldn't mind taking another job to distract her from the conflicting thoughts in her head, she did not want to take on one of this magnitude so soon. Especially if it was going to put her at odds with either the Railroad or the Institute itself.

' _Dez had warned me of this. That I would have to choose soon. But I didn't expect it to be all in a day!'_

"No," Shaun assured and she couldn't help but inwardly feel relieved, "Now would not be…the most opportune moment to carry out such a mission." He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his desk. And just like that, her relief was gone. She had picked up on that moment of hesitation from her son.

And what did he mean by 'opportune moment'? Wouldn't a stealth mission be better suited for the late hours of night rather than broad daylight?

She could not shake the feeling that Shaun was purposefully leaving out some additional details that should be known to her. No doubt this was another one of his 'tests' for his mother, to see how well she would handle the situation if other variables suddenly appeared into the thick of things…and if she would survive.

"You will rendezvous with X4-18 tomorrow morning. He will be awaiting your arrival a short distance away from Bunker Hill," he continued, "But for now, go ahead and rest, Mother…unless you were planning on returning to the surface?"

Aveline thought on it for a while before she made up her mind.

"I'll stay. I suppose I could use a night's worth of sleep," she conceded, "Though I'd rather not have anyone disturb me before I get to work in the morning."

"Very well then," he said before turning his chair around to face his terminal, "I know you will succeed in your mission. And do not worry. I'll have someone bring up food to your quarters in a few moments. No doubt you must be starving."

As if on cue with Shaun's words, Aveline's stomach growled and she couldn't hide the look of embarrassment that spread across her face. She heard her son chuckle lightly.

"I think I'll send someone now," he said as he began typing away on his keyboard, "You are free to go. Take this time to relax."

With that dismissal, Aveline nodded in acknowledgment and turned on her heel to leave his room, making her way back to her personal quarters.

She doubted she could relax at a time like this, with so many thoughts running through her head.

The task to recover more synths that had run away from this place, all because they wanted to understand the concept of humanity. No doubt they must be feeling extremely frightened while they hide in whatever part of Bunker Hill the Railroad had set up for them.

But that didn't matter to Shaun. He lost four of his 'workers' and he wants them back in the Institute, even if they were to be dragged across the Commonwealth back underground.

Aveline did not know what to make of him. There were times that he seemed slightly amicable, almost as if he was warming up to her only for him to go back into his role as Director and continuously drone on about the Institute's mission and how they're the last best hope for humanity.

She suddenly found herself chuckling.

' _It's rather ironic,' she thought, 'Dez can't decide whether she trusts me or not and in turn, I can't decide whether I trust Shaun or not.'_

She arrived at her room and just as promised, a plate with a freshly cooked meal had been set on the end table.

' _Oh thank God it's not that nutrient paste crap.'_

Her mouth watered as she stared at the Brahmin steak and chopped carrots, the steamy air around it beckoning her to come closer. She took her food and the Nuka Cherry that had been left for her as well and in a matter of minutes, completely devoured her meal.

As she lounged on her chair, picking her nails with a switchblade, she tried to remember the last time she actually had a proper meal like that.

She stopped and sadly sighed.

The night she had dinner with Desdemona when they were at Sanctuary. The Brahmin steak with the fried tatoes…Both of them just kicking their feet up and pretending for just a few hours that there was no war to be worried about. No responsibilities or urgent matters to take care of. Just…

She put away her switchblade and walked over to her bed, flopping carelessly onto it. She rolled onto her back, her eyes glued to the ceiling as she thought about her next move.

Aveline had made up her mind on one thing though. She was not going to play 'synth hunter' for the Institute. That's not who she was. But no doubt refusing such an order would put her at odds with her son, putting her role as a double agent in jeopardy. She needed to think how she would spare the synths hiding at Bunker Hill while Shaun and the Directorate remain none the wiser.

She didn't get to spend too much time thinking on it though, as the silence around her eventually lulled her into some much needed, yet slightly restless, sleep.

…

"Are you sure about this, Dez?" Artemis asked.

The two women held a meeting of their own in Desdemona's personal quarters. They both looked down at a map of the Bunker Hill settlement as the former Courser, with pen in hand, made a few markings on it. Ideal defensive positions, possible attack routes that Brotherhood troops on the ground would take, adequate areas to set up traps and anything else related.

"…No. I'm not," came the almost quiet response from Dez, "But we have no other option."

"So, we're going to protect the synths hidden by Old Man Stockton under the guise of protecting Bunker Hill?"

"No. I intend to protect the synths _and_ keep my word to Stockton," she firmly responded, "We need to find a way to keep the Brotherhood out of Bunker Hill. We cannot allow them to gain another foothold here in the Commonwealth."

"Especially if it's one of the larger and independent settlements like the Hill," Artemis added as she put the pieces together. If the Brotherhood of Steel were to control Bunker Hill, they would be gaining one of the more organized and well established economies out here in the Commonwealth. The caps and supplies that were practically generated by the merchant hub would prove to be an additional boon to fuel their war effort here and beyond. And if that wasn't enough…

"Everyone in the Commonwealth depends on Bunker Hill's caravan trade. If those jackboots manage to gain control of it, then in time, all the other settlements and even Diamond City will have no choice but to deal with the Brotherhood," the ex-courser concluded.

"Precisely. And you can imagine how many of those settlements will be getting the short end of the stick if they get the final say in Bunker Hill's trading agreements," Desdemona said as she lit a cigarette that she held in between her fingers, the nicotine rush keeping her calm and focused as they continued to discuss the situation, "But, I'm more concerned about the Institute."

Artemis watched as Dez's expression turned almost unreadable, like even she wasn't sure of how to tackle that problem. But that's the thing about the Institute. You could never properly plan against them. With their ability to relay synths at will, they always had the element of surprise at their disposal. A harsh lesson that the Railroad had become all too familiar with.

"You think the Institute might show up?"

Artemis should have known better than to ask that. It wasn't a matter of 'if'. It was a matter of 'when.'

"We have four runaway synths hiding away in that settlement and if Old Man Stockton is right in his paranoia, then it's only a matter of time before one of those traders sells us out to the Institute. And while Railroad agents and Brotherhood soldiers are fighting each other? There's no better opportunity to show up out of nowhere to reclaim their 'property'," Dez said with a bitter edge to her voice.

"And what about the Minutemen? Shouldn't they be around to stop this shitstorm from brewing over one of the Commonwealth's most important settlements?" the synth asked incredulously, making wild gestures with her hand as she spoke.

"Although tensions are high between the Minutemen and the Brotherhood, neither of them seem enthusiastic enough to provoke the other into full-scale war…at least, not yet," Dez calmly explained before taking one last drag of her cigarette and flicking it towards the floor.

"Not to mention that Bunker Hill's leaders have already rejected the aid of the Minutemen plenty of times already. They've claimed they still don't have much faith in them and doubt that the militia would ever show up to resolve an emergency. I say that they're more likely afraid that the General's going to dictate how they should run their markets and stomp any dirty business deals they might have under the table."

"Yet, that will be the most likely scenario if the Maxson brat gets to lord over them," Artemis shook her head as she heaved an exasperated sigh, "First they shell out money to raiders for 'protection' and now this…I think I've seen better logic from super mutants."

' _I honestly don't know how Stockton puts up with all that shit.'_

The Huntress was aware that sometimes greed could overcome reason but this was just a whole new level of ridiculous.

"Enough about that," Desdemona's voice caught the attention of the synth woman, "How many have we gathered so far?"

"Well…I pulled a few heavies out of Mercer so they could join us at Bunker Hill," Artemis said and continued when she saw a slightly disapproving look from the boss, "The safehouse is deep within Minutemen territory and they have plenty of patrols keeping an eye on the area," she quickly explained.

"With that, we should have…about fifteen of our people to defend the settlement and the tunnels beneath where the packages are hiding," the agent estimated and from the look in her leader's eyes, there were still plenty of issues that needed addressing here.

"That won't be enough to hold the line against them," Desdemona grimly confirmed.

"I'm hoping that our equipment can make some difference though," the Huntress added, hoping to make the situation seem a little less dire, "I hate making Tom work overtime but he managed to supply us with some more of those armored coats like the one Glory uses, along with a couple of Railway Rifles. I also sent a shipment of Gauss Rifles, similar to the ones we use, that I bought off of K-L-E-O. Even offered me a discount when I told her I was planning to fight the Brotherhood with them."

Desdemona's lips twitched upwards for a moment and she let out a soft chuckle.

"God bless that gun obsessed, mildly psychotic robot…" she said with a brief feeling of amusement, "Good choice, Artemis. Those guns can tear through power armor as if it were made of paper. I suppose it will all come down to where we position our heavies."

The Alpha thought on it for a moment as she stared down the map of the settlement on her desk.

"Lock the front gate and keep some heavies there, perhaps four," she said pointing towards Bunker Hill's main gate on the map, "Keep at least one or two to watch every other corner of the settlement. The Brotherhood can come in from anywhere thanks to their vertibirds and so can the Institute with their relay. If I remember correctly, there are plenty of vantage points to choose from, especially within that obelisk."

"As for the rest, have them patrol the tunnels beneath the settlement. We can only hope that none of our enemies make it that far," Desdemona looked up to face Artemis, "Is there anything else we could add here?"

"I could also set up some traps along the roads," the Huntress added, circling a few roads that connected to the settlement, "The Brotherhood won't just limit themselves to dropping troops from the air. It's guaranteed that they'll have ground units as well."

With the finishing touches, Artemis grabbed the map and rolled it up to take it with her back to the settlement, "I'm afraid that's all the strategic planning we can do. Any other ideas that I could implement will probably come up during the fighting," she sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose, "I can't believe I'm saying this, but…I hope the Institute shows up, if only at the same time as the Brotherhood. With that, they'll hopefully catch each other's attention and kill each other off while we hang back behind the walls."

The Railroad Alpha was silent for a few moments as she pondered on everything that was at stake here. Four runaway synths that they have recently brought under their care, keeping one of the Commonwealth's major economic hubs independent, and stopping the momentum of not one but two other factions who were admittedly much stronger than the Railroad.

The burden was just sometimes too much to bear, even for someone as resilient as Desdemona.

"Artemis," she began, "I'm entrusting you with our people and the synths that have sought our protection. If things take a turn for the worse, I need you to gather the runaways and any surviving agents and get them out of there by any means necessary. If we lose too many people in the fighting…I don't need to tell you how disastrous that would be for us. And if we lose the synths, then our efforts would have been in vain."

Artemis perked up, giving Dez a mock salute, "Leave it to me, Alpha. It's high time we let others know that there's still plenty of fight left in us."

"In that case…" Desdemona tried to stifle a yawn as she sat down on one of the chairs by her table. She leaned over it and cast her eyes on a document the synth agent left for her, the details of the battle plan so far written all over it, "You're free to go. I expect a report tomorrow morning."

Artemis simply nodded and she turned to head for the door. She stopped for a moment, glancing sideways at her friend and leader.

"Dez…" the ginger woman lifted her head to look at her agent, "You should get some sleep. I know you've been a little out of sorts but you're not going to do us or yourself any favors if you look like a disgruntled mess."

Desdemona sighed before reaching up to rub her forehead.

"I'll sleep when I'm dead," was her curt response before turning her gaze down and focusing her attention back on the document. Artemis merely shook her head slightly in disapproval.

' _Stubborn as always,'_ she thought to herself as she pushed open the door to leave.

As soon as she heard the door shut, Desdemona picked out another cigarette from the pack on her table. And despite having just finished one barely five minutes ago, she lit it and took a long drag from it.

She blew smoke through gritted teeth as she felt the chemicals of the aged cigarette burn through her throat and lungs. The sensation didn't faze her though.

Even as she suddenly had a coughing fit within seconds, she didn't think much of it, despite the grating roughness she seemed to feel inside her, as if sandpaper was being rubbed harshly against her lungs. She covered her mouth to muffle the noise so no one would barge in and ask her if she was all right.

And despite the taste of copper on her tongue, she stared blankly at the specks of blood dotting the gloved hand she had covered her mouth with, merely sighing as she disappointingly muttered _'not again'_ under her breath.

The whole weight of the world, her world and of those around her, had been on her shoulders for so long that she swore it would shorten her life, as if Railroad life expectancy wasn't short enough. Throw in her vices as well…

Desdemona took off the bloodied glove, tossing it aside to wash at a later time and afterwards, opened up a can of purified water to rinse her mouth and wash any trace of blood away. She sat back down by her table, leaning forward placing both elbows on the table as she studied the reports before her.

She was more focused on the fact that the Railroad's continued existence; along with any hope of perhaps mending her relationship with Charmer was hanging in the balance of the coming battle instead of her own, albeit slowly, failing health.

…

 _A/N: *Mr. Mackey voice* "Smoking is bad, mkay? It does bad stuff to your lungs. So don't be bad and take up smoking, mkay?"_

 _Joking aside and in all seriousness, Desdemona is practically a human chimney with all the smoking she does. I talk to her, she's lighting a cigarette. I'm pretty sure she lights up like five cigarettes in just ten minutes that I'm screwing around HQ. I would be surprised if she_ _ **doesn't**_ _have some sort of lung-related illness by now. So I figured I would make something out of it._

 _A combination of overbearing stress, unhealthy vices and a poor diet is enough to tragically cut someone's life short like it has happened to many people over time._

 _Is her condition anything serious? We'll just have to wait and see…_

 _In the meantime, I thank all who have taken their time reading this story!_


	11. Chapter 11: Winds of War Part II

"What's the matter, merc? Afraid of heights?"

"Who wouldn't be? That clanking can of yours is going to cave the floor!"

MacCready was grumbling all the way as he followed Captain Sturnn to the top of the Cambridge Construction Site, the custom X-01 power armor the woman was using obstructing most of his view as they climbed stairs and caved ceilings that functioned as stairs. Behind him, two Minutemen snipers followed, having been brought along for the ride as well.

Meanwhile, despite residing between the Castle and Jamaica Plain, he still continued as a 'freelance' mercenary because there was no way in hell he was ever going to officially join the Minutemen. Well, maybe not for now.

He supposed he did kind of like their hats and perhaps maybe he could be an honest to god soldier worthy of Duncan's admiration. He just wasn't all that enthusiastic about taking orders from someone as goody-goody like Preston Garvey. He could almost say the same of Aveline as well, but the vault dweller turned Minuteman lieutenant was the one responsible for watching his back as they explored Med-Tek and it was she who found the cure and handed it to him with no strings attached.

He meant what he said when he told her that this was a debt he could never repay. Thanks to her efforts, he had recently received news that the cure was actually doing its work. While it would be a slow recovery process and it would still be a while before Duncan could be back to his energetic self, he found joy in the knowledge that his son was no longer on the brink of death.

And sure, maybe he grumbled and complained here and there, but if lending his sharpshooter skills to the Minutemen every once in a while made his son's savior happy, then so be it.

"If this place hasn't crumbled beneath the weight of all the muties that had been crawling around here, then you don't need to worry about my armor," the captain responded in a deadpan manner, which had MacCready rolling his eyes. The group eventually reached the very top of the construction site, careful to watch their footing around the many holes and ruined floors lest they trip and fall. And it would be a long fall for any unfortunate soul who ended up being careless at this height.

Kayla stopped walking and the others followed suit, taking a moment to admire the rising sun in the horizon, before setting her Gatling Laser onto the floor and activating the release hatch of her armor, which made a hissing noise as it opened up and allowed her to step out.

MacCready looked in her direction and couldn't help but end up staring at her more than he would've thought appropriate. Aveline had mentioned that the captain resembled Curie but he only saw the similarities when it came to her eyes and the shape of her face. Other than that, Kayla had her hair tied in a bun, had a shade of tan on her skin and a toned and well-fit body, no doubt from all the training she's had since her…'past occupation'.

"Got a thing for staring, merc?"

The captain's voice snapped MacCready out of his thoughts and he noticed that the woman was looking at him over her shoulder, the corners of her mouth turning downwards into her typical professional frown. Not pissed, but not exactly liking the idea of being stared at for too long either.

The ex-Gunner pretended to cough as the two Minutemen accompanying them snickered. Kayla fully turned around to glare at them and they immediately shut up.

"Name's MacCready in case you forgot, lady," he said as he regained his composure. The other two soldiers went even more deathly quiet after that. No one in their right mind talked back to the Captain in such a manner. She looked back at him with a quirked eyebrow and he could have sworn he saw the corner of her mouth twitch upwards into a smirk before pressing her lips back into a thin line.

"Watch your mouth, kid," she said with more professionalism than malice, "You're hired help and nothing more. You want to brag about being a crackshot since you were a brat and being the best sniper on this side of the Commonwealth? I'm giving you the chance to prove you're more than a common mercenary. Any problem with that, merc?"

The woman was just begging for a challenge now and MacCready would have been more than happy to oblige if it wasn't for the fact that they would be getting carried away from the task at hand.

"No problem at all…ma'am," he responded, noticing the satisfied glint in the woman's eyes.

"Good," Kayla curtly responded.

Once everyone was behaving themselves, she took out a pair of binoculars from the storage compartment of her armor and walked a little closer to the edge of the top floor, motioning for the others to join her.

MacCready now understood why she wanted to set up camp here. From the spot they were in, they could see all of Bunker Hill and its entire vicinity. This was the best choice of a front row seat to watch the battle without having to worry about a loose shot hitting you in the face. All they needed was popcorn.

But he knew that they weren't here to treat this like a sideshow attraction.

"I was right about this place," she seemed to be saying that mostly to herself, "From here, we can see the entire battle unfold without worrying about being spotted," the captain said.

"Ma'am?" one of the snipers spoke up, "What about the Brotherhood's vertibirds?"

She turned around and stood in her typical militaristic posture, hands clasped behind her back and a look in her eyes that meant she was all business as she stared at the trio following her command.

"They will be expected to show up in the battle, but I'm certain they will be too busy dropping troops and raining suppressive fire to notice us picking off their infantry. Even if they do take note of the sniper nest we'll be setting up, those gunships of theirs will have a tough time tracking us all the way up here," she explained, "Brotherhood vertibirds aren't as resilient or durable as the ones the Enclave have used. That's the price of mass production."

"Now then, Sgt. Reinhart, Sgt. Kamille," she turned to look at the ex-Gunner, "…MacCready. Let me clear the air up for the three of you."

Kayla moved a little, relaxing her stiff shoulders.

"I've shared some of the details with you all on the way here, so I hope you all understand our mission by now. Bunker Hill must not fall into the hands of the Brotherhood of Steel nor the Institute." One of her hands clenched into a fist and drove it into the palm of her other hand, a punctuation that this was not up for debate.

"If anyone is going to put that settlement in order, it will be the Minutemen. But for us to move in, we need to make sure the Railroad wins this battle because the organization in question seem to have bitten off way more than they could chew and it has fallen on us to make sure they don't end up choking themselves."

"It's become clear to us that the Brotherhood of Steel are as much a threat to the Commonwealth and to the order we wish to establish in this land as is the Institute. However, the General insists that involving ourselves at such a critical stage of this war would be an unwise move. At the moment, we do not know yet where the Institute is hiding. And if we openly begin hostilities with the Brotherhood so soon, they'll obviously go after The Castle, as to prevent our artillery from giving the Prydwen and everyone on board a special V.I.P. tour of the bottom of the Boston coastline."

' _Yeesh, that's cold,'_ MacCready thought, _'She really doesn't like the Brotherhood.'_

"So…" Kayla pulled out what looked to be a folded rifle from another storage container on her suit, "We will set up our vantage point here and wait patiently for the battle to start. Understood?" she asked as she put the rifle together, revealing the sheer size and build of that thing.

' _Is that an honest to god Anti-Materiel Rifle?'_ MacCready thought as he stared at the captain's weapon in awe. Those rifles were slightly more common in the West Coast but were few and far between in the East Coast. The handful of people here who could obtain one were those who had to pull some strings to get one sent over from coast to coast.

' _She can be a bitch sometimes, but damn does she have good taste in weapons,'_ MacCready had to suppress a smirk that threatened to spread. He hasn't had much opportunity to chat with Kayla but he now found himself admiring her a little more than the usual.

"Yes, ma'am," the other two snipers answered. MacCready did not answer and he couldn't bring himself to care much about the glare the captain sent his way.

"Very well. Keep in mind though, that your targets are the plastic chrome domes of the Institute should they show up, as well as Brotherhood soldiers, which can be recognized by either their power armor or the standard issue fatigues typically worn by their lower ranking members. Anyone else is not to be shot as they are most likely Railroad agents or settlers within Bunker Hill. I will not tolerate friendly fire."

"Now, take a few minutes for yourselves and come back when you're done with your break. Dismissed."

The two Minutemen saluted and went their way; Sgt. Reinhart went to a corner of the room and began setting up his rifle. Sgt. Kamille sat in another corner against a wall, lighting up a cigarette and busying himself looking for ammunition in his pack.

MacCready figured he could use a smoke break of his own but he went to the lower floor, trying his best not to look down through the open spaces lest he suffer vertigo at the long height. He took out his pack and pulled a cigarette out. Just as he lit it and was about to place it between his lips, slender fingers plucked it right out of his own.

Captain Sturnn had followed him and if she seemed amused at the ex-Gunner's befuddled expression, she did not show it as she put the cigarette between her lips and took a long drag.

"For a merc, you're quite the gentleman," Kayla said, a teasing lilt to her voice that would have been difficult to notice due to her slightly stony expression.

' _Oh, so that's how it's gonna be?'_ MacCready thought to himself as he pulled out another and lit, holding it lightly between his teeth before the captain could snatch that one too. The two of them leaned back against a concrete wall and continued their break in relative silence. Kayla eventually flicked her cigarette away and turned to look at the mercenary.

"You must think us insane for choosing to go to war with the Brotherhood." Not a question, a statement rather, if her nonchalant expression was anything to go by.

"Insane? That's putting it mildly," MacCready responded. Not a lot of folks out there were keen on going to war with an advanced army like the Brotherhood of Steel and they themselves knew that. They felt like it was their given right to order around others and take what they wanted because in their mind, only they knew what was best for humanity.

But that hubris could prove to be their very downfall, if the result of the NCR-Brotherhood War was anything to go by. It would only be a matter of time before they pissed off the wrong people and end up suffering a similar humiliation to their west coast brethren.

"And yet, you're sticking around with us. You could've taken the caps we paid up front and run far from the Commonwealth to avoid the coming shitstorm," she continued, hand under her chin as if thinking heavily about something, "No matter how much you deny it, you seem more…honorable than the typical mercenary."

' _Honorable? That's a new one!'_

MacCready burst out laughing like he just heard the best joke since his days in Little Lamplight. Kayla only raised an eyebrow at his sudden burst, not annoyed but not seeing what was so funny either.

"Sorry," he apologized as his laughter died down, "Sorry about that…it's just…Look lady, I've been called a lot of things and 'honorable' was probably the last thing I expected."

"Hmm, I guess that might have to do with your past as a Gunner," she said and noticed MacCready flinch at the mention of it, "But I'm not going to criticize you for that. Given my past, that would be immensely hypocritical of me."

He turned to look at Kayla and was surprised to see a look of understanding, one which made it clear that she did not care to bring out other people's dirty laundry unless they tried to bring out hers.

' _Guess she isn't too much of a ruthless bitch that others make her out to be.'_

"Still, the question remains…" she began as her eyes turned steely, "Are you okay with this? Our mission?"

She seemed to be giving him an out and if someone like Captain Kayla Sturnn was telling him to think twice about it, then it could only mean that things are definitely going to get more dangerous from here. But he couldn't turn back. A contract is a contract and he was going to stand by it, even if it was perhaps against his better judgment.

He wasn't a big fan of the Brotherhood of Steel, even during the days of the Lyons regime, but he had to admit that they did some good out there. But after the Lyons kicked the bucket and command eventually fell upon one Arthur Maxson, he found no reason to become a fan of them at all. They became too intense, acting like they were the greatest gift to this forsaken wasteland and they took whatever they needed or wanted, sometimes by force.

In his eyes, they were just well armed glorified raiders who decided to brush their flaws and questionable acts away under the guise of saving humanity. So yeah, to him, maybe the Brotherhood indeed needed to be taken down a notch or two. A good ass-kicking to remind them that they aren't as mighty as they think they are would be a good start.

"Yeah…" he said as he threw away his cigarette, "Yeah, I'm okay with this."

…

Aveline relayed herself early in the morning to the entrance of the Old North Church. She could have teleported right into HQ but that would not have been the wisest decision, knowing that she would end up spooking the other agents. Plus, she wasn't sure if the Institute was able to track her to wherever she relayed but she'd rather not risk them finding the Railroad headquarters.

' _Come to think of it, I should have teleported maybe a little further away from here.'_

She felt like she was treading on thin ice with the Desdemona enough as it is, especially after yesterday's talk and she did not need to fuel the woman's paranoia more than it was already.

Aveline couldn't help but think about the boss as she made her way through the catacombs. She wanted to be angry with her. Angry at Dez for distrusting her so easily, after everything she had accomplished; everything she had done for the Railroad. She believed that there might have truly been something between them after all the tender moments they shared in private.

" _You can't trust everyone, Charmer. Especially in our line of work."_

Supposedly words of wisdom from her fellow partner in crime.

She wanted to be angry but part of her also wanted to understand. She remembered Deacon's words and realized that was what Desdemona was all about. 'Trust no one' had practically become her personal creed, one she would always live by though whether the boss had a similar mentality before joining the Railroad was unknown to her. If anything, Aveline was one of the lucky few to see a slightly warm side to the usually hardened and emotionally-distant woman.

The blonde woman stopped in her tracks after walking past the puzzle door, wondering if she should have second thoughts about coming here. She couldn't see Desdemona straight away, not with the mess of feelings she had towards her and definitely not when she believed there was a lot to think over.

But time was of the essence and it was not going to give her the luxury to overthink things. This was a serious matter and she needed to at least warn Dez about the danger headed towards Bunker Hill.

She honestly did not know what good that would do though. She doubted the boss and her agents would have time to set up proper defenses in that settlement, especially if it was a full scale attack.

' _Come on, Aveline. Look at the bright side. It's just you and the Courser. Get rid of X4-18 and the Railroad won't have anything to worry about, right?'_

The more she thought about it, the more she realized that this looked like some shameless attempt to score some trust points with Desdemona.

' _No. Not like that. I'm doing this because it's the right thing to do,'_ she thought to herself.

But what was the 'right thing' to do? Even the 'right' thing to do in times of war was just a blurry of grey. She could deal with black and white…but grey?

She took a deep breath and moved on towards the HQ before she could break her rule on not overthinking things. She did not want to be late to rendezvous with X4-18 lest she lose her chance to at least keep the courser on a leash when they arrive at Bunker Hill.

"Oh, hey Charmer," Drummer Boy greeted the agent as she made her way down the stairs, "If you've got a moment, Tom-"

"Sorry Drummer," Aveline interrupted him with a half-hearted apology, "But I've got some really urgent business. Where's Dez?"

"Oh…she's in PAM's room," he responded, "Why? What's going on?"

But he would not get an answer as Charmer rushed over to the other room, unaware of the watchful eyes that Glory fixed on her when she passed by her workbench. She stepped through the doorway, her searching eyes easily spotting the ginger haired woman.

Desdemona had her back to anyone who would come into this room. She sat in front of her and PAM's private terminal, slightly hunched over as one of her hands kept moving over the keyboard, tapping on random keys, while the other held a small glass half-way filled with the unmistakable amber liquid that was bourbon. Charmer spotted two empty bottles of the familiar alcohol and a third one that was already half empty.

Aveline watched her boss as she brought the glass to her lips and knocked back the drink. She paused momentarily whatever it was that she was doing on the terminal as she took the bottle and filled up her glass again.

As far as the blonde was aware, the Railroad Alpha was not a heavy drinker, definitely not one to do so this early in the morning. She sadly wondered if her sudden penchant for drinking was an attempt to cope with the stress and worry about Bunker Hill.

…Or if the boss was feeling troubled and unsure about pushing Aveline and perhaps everyone else away on an emotional level.

' _Why Dez? Why are you doing this to yourself?'_ the blonde woman thought with a sigh.

"Desdemona," she called out in a hushed voice and the woman stilled for a moment before getting up from her seat and turning to focus her attention on the agent.

"Charmer," she greeted, quick to adopt her image of stoic and no nonsense leader to hide the fact that she had been staring blankly at a computer screen for the last hour, "I see unexpected visits are becoming a habit for you." Her neutral expression had Aveline guessing whether her quip was said in jest or in annoyance. Knowing Dez, it was most likely the latter.

"Well, what can I say, Dez? I'm just full of surprises," Aveline chuckled nervously, cringing at her own pathetic attempt at humor, while the other woman made no attempt whatsoever to laugh or even grimace. Her eyes glanced at the bottles on Dez's desk, "Huh, you've been drinking," She immediately mentally kicked herself for stating the most obvious thing in that room.

As if to drive the point home, Desdemona crossed her arms, small of her back leaning against the edge of her desk while quirking an eyebrow, almost as if wanting to shout 'No shit, Sherlock' via body language.

"So it would seem," she answered with a hint of sarcasm in her voice as she turned her head slightly to look at the empty bottles on her desk and then turned back to focus on Aveline, "But I'm certain that you're here for something else that does not have to do with whatever poison I choose to indulge myself with."

The blonde woman sighed. They were already starting on the wrong foot, with Desdemona being more easily irritated than before, a result of the stress, the alcohol and the lack of sleep she had been juggling with recently.

And yet, the woman still saw through her. She knew Aveline was here for a more serious matter and the blonde agent couldn't help but feel like all this talking, all this thinking was just some futile attempt of hers to stall the inevitable.

"The Institute is coming for Bunker Hill," the blonde woman began, "Shaun has sent me and a courser to recover the synths that you're hiding there."

"Hmm, I thought as much," Dez nonchalantly replied and Aveline was somewhat startled with how quick she was to reply. She was kind of expecting an awkward and tense silence, "Though I'm surprised that your son is sending just the two of you and not a small army of synths to recover them." She remained quiet, thinking carefully before she spoke again.

"But then again, it does make sense to send as few people as possible. And knowing your skills Charmer, you could easily slip by our defenses while we are busy fighting off the Brotherhood."

"The Brotherhood? What does the Brotherhood of Steel have to do with Bunker Hill?" Aveline questioned with wide eyes. It wasn't possible. Had Shaun known about this? Had he forgotten to warn her?

No. He had mentioned that today would be the opportune time to strike. And the moment of hesitation…

She couldn't believe it. It seemed that her own son had deliberately kept her in the dark about the Brotherhood's involvement. What bullshit social experiment was he trying to pull on her now?!

"Did you not know? The Director didn't mention it or anything?" Dez asked and when the blonde shook her head, she went on to explain, "It seems the Brotherhood had been scouting Bunker Hill for a while now. They've become aware that there is a lot of Institute and Railroad activity there, so in their little crusade to 'cleanse the Commonwealth', they decided that a hostile takeover of the settlement would be necessary to put down what they deem as unsavory elements and to further their own goals."

She gazed intently at the woman in front of her, "Charmer, I'm aware of some of the work you do for the Minutemen. Mainly, working out trade routes and setting up supply lines. I don't think I need to explain to you the possible difficulties you would have to deal with if the Brotherhood ends up controlling the Commonwealth's traditional trade routes."

Aveline understood her point. Many of the Minutemen's settlements relied heavily on Bunker Hill's caravans, especially after her negotiations with Kessler and Old Man Stockton and with all the trading posts she had established in the more populous areas such as Sanctuary, Starlight, The Slog and County Crossing.

That kind of tactic was as old as the history of war itself. If your military might was not enough to gain the cooperation of the local populace, then the next logical step would be to plant your flag in their economical hubs.

She frowned at the thought that she might have underestimated Elder Maxson all this time. Ever since meeting him, she had thought him as a military brat with delusions of grandeur, despite Paladin Danse's assurance that one shouldn't judge his abilities on just his age. Couple that with the Brotherhood's penchant of utilizing the simple minded tactic of brute force and nothing else, she had not expected them to actually sit down and come up with a proper strategy for their mission.

She didn't want to think of herself as being complacent. Instead, she just had so much on her plate, juggling responsibilities between the Minutemen, the Railroad, and now the Institute, that she had to place her concerns about the Brotherhood on the proverbial backburner.

"I already have people at Bunker Hill and they're ready for a fight," Desdemona said, grabbing Aveline's attention once again, "It's a long shot but we need to do everything we can to stop the Brotherhood from gaining any sort of momentum."

"…Which leaves us with the Institute," she added, her jaw clenching and expression hardening as she walked towards Charmer.

"Desdemona…" the agent began but the woman raised her hand up, gesturing her to be quiet and all Aveline could do for the moment was stare back into Dez's scrutinizing gaze. After a few silent seconds, the older woman heaved a sigh and moved past the blonde.

"Wait," Aveline said and Dez stopped right next to her, shoulder to shoulder, the blonde turning to look at her boss, "…Aren't you going to ask me about what I might consider doing?" she asked.

A brief moment of silence stretched between them before Desdemona began to speak.

"I'm not going to beg you or implore you to fight with us and help the synths," she began, "Whatever you intend to do at Bunker Hill, will be your decision." Aveline slightly jumped when she felt a touch on her shoulder and noticed that Dez had gently placed her hand on it.

The blonde woman did not know what to make of the sudden contact. It was strange at first, considering that they had 'broken up' the day before, but it also felt…nice to be touched again by the woman she had come to love.

"However…" the Alpha's grip on the agents shoulder tightened a little more to have her focus on the warning to come, "No matter what you choose, be prepared for the consequences that go along with it."

Aveline looked from the corner of her eye to look at Desdemona, but the woman stared ahead of her instead of facing her agent.

"Whether you jump ship to the Institute or you decide to stay with us, the decision you make in the next hours will set the stage for the next act of this twisted play. From experience, I can tell you that every decision has a consequence. But how you deal with it will fall on you…Aveline."

Desdemona let go and made her way out the room they were in. Aveline stood rather still, the air heavy around her as she took in Dez's words.

"One more thing…" the blonde turned around to listen to her boss.

"Shouldn't you be on your way? I'm fairly certain that coursers are not well known for their patience.

The agent stood there for a moment before chuckling as she rubbed the back of her neck. For a moment, she could have sworn she saw Dez's lips twitch a little upwards before turning them down into her typical professional frown.

"Yeah…I'm actually a little early to the rendezvous but I'm hoping to catch him before he gets a chance to wreak havoc on the battlefield. Still, I'm gonna have to use the relay to avoid any further delays."

Desdemona watched as Aveline fiddled around with her Pip-Boy, typing in coordinates to whatever location she was going to jump to.

"…Dez?"

The Railroad leader looked attentively at the other woman.

"I'll see you later…I guess."

And in a sudden moment, the air crackled and the blonde agent was gone in a flash.

The ginger woman bowed her head a little, sighing weakly.

"…I hope so."

"What the hell was that?"

Desdemona turned around to find Glory standing in the doorway with an assault rifle in hand.

"Put the gun away, Glory. Charmer and I had a talk, nothing more," her voice sounded tired as she spoke.

"Right…" she responded, not completely convinced, "And that whole disappearing act?"

"She came to warn us about the Institute. It looks like they're going to make a move of their own on Bunker Hill, just as we suspected."

Glory cursed inwardly. A part of her relished the challenge of fighting both the Brotherhood and the Institute at the same time. But she was not overly trigger-happy to ignore the danger that such a situation would pose for the Railroad.

"So, any changes to the plan?"

"I'm afraid that would be up to Artemis since she is in charge of the operation there," Dez responded, "…Actually," she stood there for a moment, contemplating some ideas in her mind, "I suppose I do have something for you. I need you to head over to Ticonderoga and gather any agents or heavies they could spare and form up a small unit to provide backup for the rest of our people at Bunker Hill."

"I'm not sure of the numbers the Brotherhood or the Institute intends to throw at us but I'm damn certain the fighting is going to be intense and I need you and anyone else available to be ready to lend a hand."

"No need to tell me twice boss," Glory responded with a slight smirk, "Let me get my gun and I'll be ready to roll."

As Glory turned and left to fetch her minigun, Desdemona decided to also head out of PAM's room and make her way towards her desk. She felt a sudden shiver in her spine as she sat down by her personal radio, awaiting Artemis to call in. She looked down onto her hands and saw that they had become slightly clammy.

Maybe she should take a moment to go to Doctor Carrington. She was already overdue for a checkup…no, bad idea. The doctor would just complain and berate her for just about anything.

Sighing to herself, she patted the pockets of her blazer and her pants, cursing under her breath when she found them empty. She rubbed her temple as she leaned back in her chair.

"…I need a goddamn cigarette."

…

"All done," Artemis said to herself with a grin on her face as she placed a Nuka Mine in a carefully concealed spot on one of the roads leading to Bunker Hill. She had come across a small stockpile of Nuka Grenades and Mines that the Children of Atom had hidden away at Kingsport Lighthouse when she cleared out the place of the lunatics a few days back. She'll be putting them to better use now.

The battered roads and alleyways leading to the settlement had now been dotted with an assortment of mines and traps, and a warning had been sent to many traveling merchants and provisioners within the vicinity to avoid going to Bunker Hill for the day.

Meanwhile, she had counted over sixteen Heavies total, with the four from Mercer arriving during the middle of the night. They had their orders and were distributed around the settlement, guarding the entrances while others either went to patrol underground or make use of the vantage points that Bunker Hill's homes and the obelisk in the center of town offered. A handful of turrets have been built on a whim overnight to provide extra support along with a few more placed in the tunnels beneath the town where the synths were hiding.

The Huntress walked back and stood in front of the main gate of Bunker Hill, now locked and chained as two heavies armed with Railway Rifles stood guard, along with two machinegun turrets placed close to them. She looked up towards the obelisk and noticed the barrels of Gauss Rifles sticking out from the holes in the tower, ready to fire upon any approaching vertibirds.

Artemis had pulled out every possible trick she could think of to prepare for the coming battle. All that was left to do was hope that it would be enough to hold out against both the Institute and the Brotherhood, and bleed them dry of manpower and resources, to the point that they would eventually give up on taking the settlement and retreat.

But it was going to be easier said than done. The Institute had an unknown and possibly limitless supply of Gen-1's and 2's, programmed to kill and ready to be relayed in with a mere snap of fingers. The Brotherhood of Steel may not have as many bodies to throw as the Institute but they made up for that with their technology, ferocity in battle and relentless fervor. If the Railroad can't survive this, then their chances of winning this war would go from slim to zero.

' _Heh, no pressure…nooo pressure at all.'_

Artemis reached a hand up to her right ear, fingers tapping on a metallic earpiece placed there.

"Huntress to Alpha. Huntress to Alpha. Do you copy?"

For a few seconds, all that could be heard was static in the airwaves until she heard Desdemona's voice respond.

"Alpha here. What's your status?"

' _Yes! The communicator works!'_ Artemis giddily thought.

"Everything's quiet for now. Traps are in place and our sentries are standing guard."

"I see…I hope they're ready. The Institute will be coming as well."

The ex-courser sighed. It was expected, but a small part of her had hoped that would not be the case. Nonetheless, the defensive perimeter that had been set up was done exactly with the Institute in mind. How effective Artemis and the Railroad would prove to be against them would depend on how many synths they would throw into the battle.

"I guess that was to be expected," Artemis responded, "Still, how did you find out?" A moment of pause before Desdemona spoke again.

"Charmer stopped by to confirm our suspicions," the agent listened carefully as Dez continued speaking, "The Institute will be making a move on Bunker Hill, but according to her, their Director had sent just one Courser along with our mutual friend to recover the packages."

"Just her and a Courser?" Artemis asked incredulously, "That's…actually understandable. No better opportunity to sneak by us and catch us with our pants down when we're occupied with the Brotherhood."

"My thoughts exactly…" came Dez's response as her voice trailed off. Silence fell between them and for a moment Artemis thought that her boss shut down the radio or that the earpiece failed when Dez spoke again.

"Huntress?"

"Yes, Alpha?"

"…I'm asking too much of you already but I'm not sure about Charmer's endgame. Which is why as soon as you spot them, I need you to keep an eye on her and the courser's movements…" There was a pause from Desdemona and Artemis could hear her take a deep breath over the line, "If Charmer harms those under our protection…if her allegiance is now with the Institute…" Another pause, like she didn't want to finish what she was going to say. However, the Huntress easily guessed what Desdemona was about to ask of her.

"I understand, Alpha," Artemis said, the determination in her tone stifling her slight unease with the situation, "I'll do what needs to be done."

"…I honestly hope it doesn't come to that," Dez's voice sounded rather weary than demanding, "But if it does…just…" a sigh, "…just make it quick."

The Huntress had never heard her boss sound so unsure, so vulnerable before. Come to think of it…

No. There was no point in mulling over whatever was happening between Dez and Charmer. That was their business and they would sort it out in due time.

If Charmer survives this battle, that is.

"Understood, Alpha."

"Thank you, Huntress," Desdemona said, "All that's left to say now is good luck…and give them hell. Over and out."

The communication line went silent as the Huntress sighed, looking around the settlement. The Railroad heavies remained in their assigned positions, waiting for the impending attack from both of their sworn enemies.

As she walked around the settlement Artemis unsheathed her electrified sword and stared at it for a few moments. She gripped the hilt tightly with one hand, while she caressed the blade with the other.

"I hope you make the right choice in the end, Aveline," the Huntress muttered to herself, "I really don't want to stain my blade with the blood of someone I consider a friend."

The ex-Courser was starting to feel the weight of everything she had been entrusted with. But she was going to push on. She would repay her debt to Desdemona and help the Railroad by showing everyone that despite the many times they've been knocked down and brought to the brink of annihilation, they still had plenty of fight left in them.

The day could not get any more demanding than this…

"Artemis!"

She froze at the sound of that voice. Her sword fell from her fingers and clattered to the pavement as she dared not to look behind her.

' _No. No, no, no, no, please don't let it be her.'_

The Huntress turned around and her stomach dropped upon seeing Isabel approach her. At the mechanist's side was an ever familiar robot who was now sporting her new assaultron design. The two were coming down from the northern road, the only one that hadn't been covered with mines as the path led to Minutemen territory. She breathed a sigh of relief for a moment before wondering what the hell Isabel was doing around here in the first place.

"Isabel? Ada? What are you two doing here?" she asked and judging by Isabel's reaction, she must have spoken in a sharp tone. She could kick herself for that.

Isabel's relieved smile died down, puzzled to see Artemis in an agitated state. The woman usually greeted the young mechanic more warmly. As she tried to find words to respond, Ada stepped in and spoke for her.

"Greetings, Artemis," the sentient assaultron responded, "Isabel had been procuring materials to complete some of her latest projects. We felt that the merchants of Bunker Hill would have a wider selection to meet her needs."

"But what about County Crossing?" the Huntress asked, raising an eyebrow, "Don't they have a market?"

"We were coming down from there just now," Isabel responded, "I got some scrap that I needed but they're out of aluminum." She then took a moment to look around and towards the settlement behind her girlfriend, "Why does Bunker Hill look closed down? And what's with all the guards?" she asked with a raised eyebrow.

For once, Artemis felt at a loss for words. Of all the things she had tried to prepare for, running into the young mechanic in a place that was minutes away from becoming a warzone was not one of them. It was not going to be easy to get Isabel to leave without possibly blowing her own cover as a Railroad agent.

However, as luck would have it, it seemed there would not be time to worry about that for long…

"Huntress!" a Railroad Heavy called out to her as he approached the ex-Courser, oblivious to the withering glare she shot in his direction from behind her goggles, "We're starting to pick up radio chatter from Brotherhood troops in the area. It looks like they're going to arrive shortly!"

"I already know they'll be here soon!" she snapped back, "All you need to do is make sure that everyone's in position. Now move!"

She watched as the agent gave her a sloppy salute and turned around to rush back to the settlement. She spoke as if Isabel had not been there, but the situation required her full attention, as a lot of lives were riding on this fight. But the young woman was not as naïve as others would think and Artemis braced herself for the incoming questions.

"Artemis…why did he call you 'Huntress'?"

"Isabel, listen to me," the synth turned around and approached the other woman, placing her hands gently on the mechanist's shoulders, "This place won't be safe for you. You need to leave now. Go back to County Crossing or to the bunker. I'll…I'll meet up with you later."

Isabel shook her head as her mouth etched into a frown. "You still didn't answer my question. What do you mean this place won't be safe? What the heck is going on?"

"Do you require our assistance, Artemis?" Ada interjected.

The synth was becoming increasingly frustrated as the seconds ticked by and Isabel and Ada were still sticking around instead of heading for safety. She knew she would have to explain to her lover one day what she truly did for a living but this was the worst possible time to do it. She let out an exasperated sigh as she felt soft hands gently touch hers and Isabel's eyes gaze into hers.

"Artemis, please, what is going on? Tell us what's wrong."

The pleading voice with which the young mechanist asked her was enough to grip her heart. She could not deny her but this…this was not the moment.

"I'll explain in due time, Isabel, but for now you both need to-"

A loud and distant explosion interrupted her, and from there, she could hear the shouts of pain and anger. Artemis turned to look and noticed a mini mushroom cloud in the distance, the telltale sign of someone tripping a Nuka Mine.

"Brotherhood ground troops have walked into one of our minefields!" She heard one of the heavies report.

The sound of whirring blades from multiple vertibirds in the distance grew louder as they neared the settlement.

"Six vertibirds spotted! Four from the east! Two approaching the main gate!"

"Make that eight! Two approaching from the west!"

It was too late. There was no room for any thoughts other than the situation at hand.

The Battle for Bunker Hill had begun.

…

 _A/N: Well, this was part 2 of the previous chapter that I tweaked a little. Including the cameo appearance of one of my favorite weapons from FNV, the Anti-Materiel Rifle._


	12. Chapter 12: Triple Threat

_A/N: It's been almost three months since I last updated but I'm finally back! An additional note awaits after the end of this chapter. In the meantime, enjoy!_

…

The sounds of battle were heard much more clearly the closer they got to the settlement. Despite Bunker Hill being a short walk away from the rendezvous point with X4-18, Aveline kept her eyes glued to the ground, watching for any mines or tripwires the Railroad might have set up in an effort to stem the tide of incoming Brotherhood forces. The courser followed close behind as the woman made her way through plenty of shortcuts.

She ducked into a nearby alley when she heard the sound of approaching vertibirds and gestured X4-18 to do the same. She looked up just in time to see a gauss blast hit the gunship on one of its wings, causing it to briefly spin out of control in the air before careening into another vertibird that was unable to evade the incoming disaster.

"C'mon!" Aveline ordered as she fixed her sunglasses and bandana in place, hoping the explosions in the sky and raining debris would distract the Railroad as she maneuvered the narrow alleyways that surrounded Bunker Hill.

Adrenaline coursed through the former vault dweller's veins as her mind worked on overload, still trying to come up with any idea on how to deal with the situation. She had to placate the Railroad while staying in the Institute's good graces at the same time, but how? She would have to do something about the courser but she had yet to come up with an idea on how to get the drop on him.

X4-18 had suggested she take the lead while he followed and watched her back and Aveline was starting to believe that he was taking that phrase a little too literally, feeling the courser's gaze fixed onto her at every corner, as if he were calculating her movements. She doubted she could catch him by surprise and knew she would be overpowered if she tried to take him head on by her lonesome.

Maybe the Railroad agents guarding Bunker Hill could even the score but they would most likely fire on her as well, thinking that she had sold herself out to the Institute because of her present company. Only Dez herself and a select handful of agents from HQ such as Artemis, Glory and Deacon were aware of all the details of her mission inside the Institute.

Even if she did get them to shoot the courser, chances were that he would just relay back to the Institute before they had the chance to kill him and inform Shaun of her betrayal. Her cover would be blown and she would no longer be able to gain access to the Institute's data and resources. All her efforts to be close to her son while attempting to bring down the shadowy organization a notch or two from within would be for naught.

If something happened to X4-18, would Shaun…Father ever find out? Would the Directorate find out she had something to do with it? She knew what she wanted to do but there was just so many ways things could go wrong…

The sound of an explosion and pained screams brought her mind back into the present as she exited the alley into another street. The dust had barely just settled, the mangled bodies of two Brotherhood soldiers strewn about lifeless and almost limbless across the ruined pavement.

She quickly ran into another alley to avoid the line of sight of both the Railroad and the Brotherhood and as she did so, Aveline couldn't help but wonder if this was what haunted Nathan every moment. Her late husband must have seen this sort of scenario play out every day he was on the frontlines. She knew the bloodbath that she was expecting at Bunker Hill was nothing compared to what her husband and his fellow soldiers experienced in Anchorage but still…this was the kind of sight she never hoped to see.

But it seems some things never change at all.

And now, in this hellish future she had woken up to, she was embroiled in a war that (she couldn't help but think) revolved around her.

Whether because she helped breathe new life into the near-extinct Minutemen, or because the Brotherhood had once saw her as their one-way ticket into the Institute. Whether it was because of the sympathy she held for the Railroad's cause and her eventual affair with its leader, or the fact that the leader of the Institute was none other than her aging son, it was all too clear she was at the center of the maelstrom consuming the Commonwealth. She may not have started this war, but all signs pointed to her being the one to end it.

And that's what scared her the most.

As she traversed the alleyway she came across another dead Brotherhood soldier, slouched against a wall and head bobbed to the side, a lifeless hand over a gaping wound in her gut, no doubt having desperately and unsuccessfully attempted to stop the bleeding from her wounds. Aveline grimly realized that a lot more people will die before this war to come to an end and she will inevitably have a hand in their demise.

The blonde woman sighed as she knelt beside the fallen soldier and rifled through the pockets of her combat vest, hoping to find some extra fusion cells for her laser pistol. She found a few cells, along with a folded piece of paper within the pocket. She took a moment to open it and read through its contents. A blatant disregard for privacy but its owner was no longer in any position to object.

She tuned out the sounds of the nearby fighting as she read through the letter sent by the soldier's husband and son, wishing her luck in her tour of duty and hoping for her safe return. Underneath the initial handwriting were the scribbles of a child, sending his own message of wanting his 'mommy' to come back and a crayon drawing to boot.

Aveline felt her stomach lurch as she took a shaky breath and fought back the tears that threatened to well up around the corners of her eyes.

' _Sorry folks…she's not coming back.'_

She may have long distanced herself from the Brotherhood or their agenda but she remembered meeting a few who genuinely wanted to make the wasteland a better place, to carry the burdens that others were unable or unwilling to do. _'A few good people following bad orders'_ she had once mused. She shivered at the thought of how many families were going to be torn apart once the dust cleared.

"Ma'am. This is not the time for emotions. They will prove a liability to your performance."

Her grip on the parchment tightened as she suddenly felt something akin to anger and rage bubbling within her gut, a desire to pistol whip the uncaring individual behind her. But she knew that would not do any good. Hitting him with the butt of her pistol would probably be akin to poking a human with a stick. A mere annoyance.

Besides, it's not necessarily the courser's fault for feeling (or not feeling) the way he did. X4-18 was merely programmed that way by the Institute, just like many of their synths and other coursers.

' _The Institute…'_

"Right. Let's go," the blonde briskly responded, shaking away any other thoughts from her head as she placed the letter back in the pocket she took it from. She dusted herself off and continued to make her way towards the settlement. Hopefully, Bunker Hill's side entrance would not be as well guarded as the front gate.

If X4 were to somehow get distracted inside, she could perhaps kill him with a shot at point blank range. The synths would be safe and the Railroad could deal with the Brotherhood without worrying about the Institute entering the fray while she made herself scarce from the area.

' _Yeah…this can work. I think I can make it work.'_

…

"Damn them! They just keep coming!"

Artemis was practically growling her frustrations as a squad of Brotherhood soldiers destroyed another turret protecting the settlement. So far, the Railroad have not lost one of their own yet, but if they kept losing their turrets and defenses, it wouldn't be long before they would breach their position and things became even more chaotic than they were now.

' _Four man squad…three in front with laser rifles and standard issue fatigues. One in the back in Power Armor and using a minigun…easy kills.'_

Artemis turned towards the two heavies next to her who were reloading their weapons.

"I'm going in to take out one of their squads. You two keep firing and make sure that no more of them get close, got it?"

The ex-courser did not even wait to hear their acknowledgment as she quickly activated a stealth boy and began to make her way towards the approaching enemy. They were busy taking potshots at the defending heavies, hoping to get a lucky shot, while the power armored trooper used the minigun to rain suppressive fire on their targets.

"Surprise!"

Artemis de-cloaked behind the minigun wielding soldier and yanked out the fusion core powering the suit. A young man tumbled out of the T-60 armor as it opened up against his will and was soon grabbed from behind by Artemis, who quickly pulled out a combat knife and sliced his throat to put a quick end to him.

Despite the silent kill, his other squadmates noticed the lack of minigun bullets and turned around, spotting Artemis holding onto the dead soldier.

"Die! Wasteland scum!" one of the soldiers yelled and they all opened fire on the elite Railroad agent. Artemis held up the corpse of their fallen comrade in front of her, allowing it to take the shots fired from the hostile soldiers as she used her other hand to reach for the laser pistol she carried on her hip. She returned fire with a few shots of her own, taking down two of the others before the third charged furiously at her.

Thinking quickly, she shoved the corpse she was holding into the charging soldier, causing him to tumble backwards. She was on him in an instant, firing a single shot into his head before he could get back up.

Artemis holstered her gun and flexed her arm a bit, a laser shot having grazed the top of her hand. It wasn't serious except for leaving a slight burn. She looked around as she noticed that the sounds of the chaotic fighting had died down a little, excluding the occasional burst of fire from one of the heavies' Gauss Rifles and the distant whirr of vertibirds lurking a little further away from Bunker Hill.

She knew this was merely the first wave and more were yet to come. Artemis had perhaps a few seconds, maybe a minute at best, to take a quick breather before the fighting resumed once more.

She returned within the walls of Bunker Hill, where another heavy was apparently waiting for her. From the corner of her eye, Artemis spotted Isabel further away, leaning against a wall with her arms crossed and a frown on her face.

She tried not to look her way. Getting distracted at this moment would cost them the battle, as well as the lives of the Railroad agents fighting here as well as the synths they were protecting.

"Area's clear for now, Huntress," the heavy reported, "A few stragglers remain but they've pulled back, no doubt waiting for more of their buddies to show up."

"Leave them," Artemis responded, "We are to maintain our defensive positions here."

"Sure thing, Huntress," he responded before adding, "There's also one other thing."

"Hmm?"

"I'm not sure about what they said, but agents Sol and Luna have reported spotting what looked like an Institute courser sneaking through the distant alleyways."

' _Shit.'_

"Furthermore, said courser was following someone. They were unable to identify the individual, but the sisters claim that the person looks to be a female."

It didn't take long for Artemis to figure out out who the mystery woman was. And with a courser following her, Dez's worries were coming true. While she hoped that one courser was all the Institute sent to attack the Hill, she was very aware that they would have some other tricks up their sleeve.

"Noted. Keep your eyes peeled for Institute activity but don't lose your focus on the Brotherhood. Understand?"

"Sure, Huntress," the heavy answered before picking up his Railway Rifle and proceeded to head back to whatever position he came from.

Artemis wondered how the Institute was planning to infiltrate Bunker Hill to get their synths back. There were two possibilities: Either the two person team of Aveline and a courser used the fighting between the Railroad and the Brotherhood to sneak in unnoticed by the sentries or they would call in a small army of synths to take over the settlement by force.

"Artemis."

Isabel's voice snapped the courser out of her thoughts and the Huntress noticed that her partner was now standing in front of her, though her posture and her frown remained unchanged. Come to think of it, this was the first time she had seen Isabel genuinely frown. Artemis was quite certain that her girlfriend was…a little pissed off with her at the moment.

"Mind explaining to me what the heck is going on here?"

"I don't think this is a good time to-"

"Hostilities have broken out between two factions known as the Railroad and the Brotherhood of Steel. Artemis, being a Railroad agent, is here to defend against the Brotherhood's attack on Bunker Hill," Ada matter-of-factly explained, to which Isabel responded with a raised eyebrow while Artemis sent a fierce glare towards the assaultron.

Of course the robot would piece everything together in a matter of seconds and blabber about it…

"How long have you been hiding this from-"

"Isabel," Artemis raised a hand, silently asking her to be quiet, "I know this talk is a long time coming, but I don't think it's a good idea to have this argument in the middle of a battle," she said in exasperation, to which the young mechanist responded by glaring daggers at the ex-courser.

She sighed, knowing that her partner was bound to have found out the truth sooner or later. Isabel may have been an awkward individual, but she was not stupid. Thanks to Ada's input, it wasn't hard for her to conclude that Artemis had been hiding the fact that she was a Railroad agent all along.

"More vertibirds incoming!" one of the lookouts shouted.

Artemis turned her back to Isabel but before she walked towards the fighting, she spoke again, in a softer tone this time, but enough for her partner to hear.

"You have every right to chew me out for lying to you. But please do it after the battle's over. Right now, I need to make sure everyone here survives, including you."

Impatience and adrenaline once again took over Artemis, not waiting to hear if Isabel responded or not as more vertibirds were already approaching the settlement, followed by loud thuds as Brotherhood soldiers in power armor landed near the front gate. Railroad agents were already opening fire on them from whatever cover they could find.

' _First wave was mostly made up of rookies, thinking we wouldn't offer much resistance or perhaps trying to soften us up,'_ Artemis thought as she activated a stealth boy attached to her belt, _'Now it looks like they're sending in the heavy hitters.'_

"Ad Victoriam!" a few advancing soldiers bellowed with fervor as Artemis snuck past them to flank the ones advancing from the rear. A slight change of strategy this time as three power armored soldiers took to the front, toting miniguns and a gatling laser while a second squad, consisting of standard infantry and field scribes, followed behind to provide support.

' _Always go after the medics first.'_

Artemis rounded on one of the field scribes and stabbed her with her sword, blade going right through the scribe's chest, instantly killing her and proceeded to follow up on the others with her dance of death.

By the time the rest of the squad took notice of the Huntress, she had already killed the second field scribe, along with two other of their soldiers and had just decapitated their Knight-Commander.

The power armored soldiers made the mistake of turning their back on the Railroad heavies to focus their attention on the ex-courser and immediately paid the price when a hail of gauss blasts and railway spikes fell upon them, easily shredding their armor. Brotherhood power armor was usually resistant against small arms fire and most energy weapons but advanced ballistic weaponry such as Railway and Gauss Rifles could easily pierce the defenses of their suits.

"For…Elder…Maxson," the last squad member wheezed in his dying breath, dropping the gatling laser as he collapsed to the ground, armor riddled with railway spikes.

Two more Brotherhood soldiers arrived on the scene, guns trained on Artemis but before they could take any action (and much to the synth woman's surprise), both their heads suddenly exploded, bodies toppling to the pavement.

"The fuck?" the words blurted out of the Huntress' mouth as she looked on in astonishment. The shots didn't sound like they came from her side. It was when she suddenly looked up that she noticed the glint of a scope coming from the top floor of the abandoned construction site near Bunker Hill.

' _Strange…I don't remember assigning snipers up there,'_ she thought, _'…shit.'_

She realized her careless mistake of standing out in the open when there was a battle going on and in clear view of whoever the mystery snipers were. They could've easily been Institute coursers sent to kill everyone within their view from a distance. But they didn't take a shot at her despite having her in their sights.

' _Well, I'm not one to turn down help as long as they stick to shooting down tin cans. Still, I'd be a little less on edge if I just knew who they were.'_

The fighting continued as the Brotherhood continued to make their push to breach the settlement while the Railroad continued their attempt to keep up their defense. Though they have done better than initially expected, it was becoming clear that the Railroad were going to lose ground and eventually crumble if the battle dragged on any longer.

And to make matters worse, their biggest worry came to fruition.

The wild crackle of unnatural energy echoed across the settlement, accompanied by the flash of blue light that most Railroad veterans were already uncomfortably familiar with.

"Synths!" a Brotherhood soldier shouted and a few of them immediately focused on the new arrivals, at least numbering half a dozen as in a matter of seconds, the outskirts of Bunker Hill suddenly became the stage of a strange and deadly light show, red and blue laser shots being traded back and forth as another squad of Institute synths were teleported onto the field. Soon, the area was crawling with synths, as they began to encircle the settlement and fire upon anyone who offered resistance.

The Railroad agents wisely attempted to stay back within the walls of the settlement, allowing the Brotherhood and Institute to have at each other instead in hopes that they would bleed each other out.

Artemis ran towards Bunker Hill's second entrance point, finding two dead heavies slumped against the wall and a handful of synths and Brotherhood soldiers fighting each other within the area.

' _I'm gonna need back up over here.'_

"Target acquired," she heard a robotic voice speak and turned her pistol onto two Gen-2 synths that were firing upon her. With a few well-placed shots, they wouldn't be any more trouble.

It seemed that someone must have read her mind earlier because she was immediately flanked by three other heavies who came to guard that particular point of entry. However, before she could jump in immediately to take care of the rest of their assailants, she immediately noticed that the air was seemingly shimmering in a far corner within the settlement.

A normal human would not have noticed easily, but to the perfect vision of a courser, it was easy for Artemis to pick up on the telltale sign of someone using a stealth boy.

There were two crouching figures, no doubt the Institute infiltrators looking to gain access to the safehouse beneath Bunker Hill.

Artemis thought about immediately catching them before they could get anywhere near their intended goal but first, she wasn't completely sure of what Aveline would do or how she would react. Secondly, the courser would simply use the chaos of the battle to his advantage and slip away from her grasp.

However, an idea came to mind.

She went for cover as she lifted a hand up to activate the earpiece she was wearing and hoped that the heavy on the other end could receive her transmission.

"Huntress to Shade. Do you copy?"

There were a few tense seconds split between silence and radio garble before she got her response.

"Shade here," a male voice responded over the comms.

"What's your current status?"

"Tunnels are still clear for now. How's the fighting up top?"

"About that…I need you and the others to pull out from the tunnels and help us up here."

"What?!" Artemis could hear the incredulousness in the other agent's voice, "If we-"

"There's no time!" the Huntress cut him off, "The Institute is here as well and we're already taking casualties! I'll keep an eye on the safehouse myself if I have to but I need you all up here!"

She heard a sigh before he spoke again, "Alright, Huntress. We're moving out." She could hear additional mutterings of 'I hope you know what you're doing'.

"Copy that…and the last part too. Huntress, out."

With Shade and four other heavies joining the battle, Artemis believed they could hold out even more. Better they fight up here than to potentially get picked off by Aveline or the Institute's pet courser following her.

She was going to make things a little easier on Charmer. And in turn, she would make things easier for the Huntress. Once she was certain that the infiltrating duo had gained entry into the tunnel system beneath Bunker Hill, Artemis began making her move, ready to follow in their footsteps.

As of now, all she could do was hope that the remaining heavies could hold their ground a little longer while she did whatever she needed to do to protect the synths from the Institute.

…

"What the hell was that for?"

"A distraction was necessary ma'am. Contrary to what we had anticipated, the Railroad are well entrenched while the Brotherhood are attacking Bunker Hill in full force. Both sides will now be occupied in fighting our synths while we complete our mission," X4-18 calmly explained in his monotone voice while Aveline was flabbergasted that the courser just added more fuel to an already uncontrollable wildfire.

The Institute seemed willing to go to great lengths just to reclaim what they considered their property. Even if it meant that Bunker Hill would end up littered with the corpses of its settlers, as well as those of the Railroad agents and Brotherhood soldiers fighting

University Point came to mind and there was a sudden churning in Aveline's gut as she couldn't help but think that she might have unintentionally lent a hand in causing a massacre of similar proportions here. What if her friends were caught in the crossfire here? What if other of her fellow Railroad agents like Deacon or Glory were fighting here as well?

The thoughts haunted her as she made her way down into the tunnels where the synths were allegedly hiding. She didn't have much time to continue her line of thought as she heard the sound of a turret locking onto her and X4. A few quick shots from their laser pistols reduced the defensive emplacement into a pile of scrap.

"Clear, for now," X4 said and they pushed deeper only to find more defenses.

Another turret went down but Aveline couldn't help the strange feeling pooling within her gut.

The tunnels seemed devoid of anyone other than a few turrets placed there and while she inwardly felt relief that there were no Railroad agents patrolling the tunnels to confront her and the courser, she couldn't shake off the nagging sense that they were being watched. Someone was stalking her.

And she couldn't help but silently pray that it wasn't who she thought it was that was following them. There would be no mercy from the Huntress if she found out that Aveline would be putting the Railroad's mission at risk, regardless of the intention.

Eventually, they found the room where their charges were hiding, with X4-18 kicking the door open, startling the four synths kept within as they frantically looked around for any other possible escape route only to realize in horror that they were trapped. Aveline bit her bottom lip in an attempt to calm her nerves as she tried to think fast on how to resolve the situation.

One of the synths began to sob while another pleaded with them, offering Aveline caps to turn a blind eye and let them go. It was a measly 50 caps, pocket change that she could easily find scrounging a mailbox or two, but the synths were desperate to appeal to whatever nature she had.

' _Damn it…I guess I'm out of options.'_

"Alright, that's enough. All of you," she spoke as she took off her sunglasses and the bandana covering her mouth, "If you don't want to go back to the Institute, then I'm not going to force it on you. As for you, X4, stand down. We're done here," she said, to which the courser responded by looking at her like she had lost her goddamn mind and for all intents and purposes, perhaps she did, but she wasn't going play slave herder for Shaun, regardless if he was her son or not. She was not going to be their new Kellogg.

"Father has entrusted you with this mission and you would throw his trust in your abilities to the wayside for misguided idealism?"

"What was supposed to be a simple retrieval mission had turned outright disastrous!" Aveline chastised, "Shaun kept the Brotherhood's involvement hidden from me! And you called in more synths with those grenades, effectively wasting resources that could have been put to better use elsewhere. As far as I'm concerned, this mission already failed from the start. Just make four other synths to replace the ones you lost and leave them be already."

"Whatever your concerns are, it does not change our objective to return the rogue synths back to their rightful home," the courser answered back.

"X4, I said stand down!"

Aveline pulled out her gun and pointed the barrel towards the courser, only to find that he already had his gun trained on her as well. She gritted her teeth in frustration because of course X4 was watching her movements all this time.

"Father would be most disappointed once he realizes that his vision for you had been mistaken," the courser began in his monotone speech, "I have no choice but to bring you to justice-"

It all happened quickly. Aveline let out a startled gasp as she dropped her gun to the floor. The room fell deathly quiet as everyone present turned to look at X4-18. The courser himself looked down, towards the blade protruding right through his chest, courtesy of a certain redheaded synth woman standing behind him holding her weapon with a tight grip. She pulled the blade out, making a sickening squelching sound as it cut through artificial flesh.

He staggered forward but it was not enough to deter the Institute courser as he turned his gun on Artemis. However, one quick swing of her blade put an end to X4-18 before he could do anything else, his severed head rolling across the floor as the rest of his body collapsed with an audible 'thud' to the ground.

The synths kept their distance in a corner of the room, shocked expressions on their faces, though it was unclear if it was because the Institute found them, the fact that they narrowly escaped a fate worse than death, or perhaps from witnessing firsthand the brutality that was commonplace across the wasteland.

Aveline didn't even get a chance to react or say anything as the next moment she was shoved and pinned against a wall. The blonde's eyes widened when she felt the bloodied steel blade lightly press against her neck, not enough to mark or injure her, but enough to let Aveline know that she will suffer the same fate as X4 if Artemis deems her a threat.

"So…decided to step into the spider's parlour, eh Charmer?" Artemis said, keeping the blade of her sword right against Aveline's throat.

The blonde wasn't sure if she could reason with the Huntress but she would have to try something to get out of this predicament. But standing right at death's door as she stared into the glowing red irises of her potential executioner apparently emptied her of her vocabulary.

"Out of curiosity…how far were you willing to go to keep your cover within the Institute?"

"I had no intention of recalling the runaway synths back to the Institute if that's what you're getting at," Aveline finally managed to speak in her own defense, "I just couldn't find an opportunity to get rid of the courser myself! Things got even worse when he started throwing those grenades that called in the Gen-1's and 2's. I wasn't even sure what those things did until I saw them appear in a flash."

"So that wasn't your order then?" the Huntress asked doubtfully, as if she wasn't fully buying the other woman's statement.

"I swear to you that I didn't order him to do it!" Aveline pleaded, "I thought it was just me and the courser. Had I known he was going to cause more trouble here, I would have tried to get rid of him sooner!"

Seconds ticked by but it felt like hours, tensions running high as Artemis still kept the blonde woman pinned to the wall, the blade not even letting up an inch away from the woman's throat.

"C'mon, Artemis," Aveline tried one last time, "You followed me enough around the Commonwealth to know the kind of person I am. I would never agree to shepherding synths back to the Institute against their will."

She felt that her reasoning was weak but she was already running out of options to convince Artemis that she was and always will be on their side.

"Honestly, I don't know what kind of person you are anymore. The lines between friend and foe can get very blurry at a time like this…"

Aveline sighed as she took one last look at the group of synths huddled together in the corner of the room, a sad smile forming on her lips before she closed her eyes. There was no hope now. Artemis was convinced that she was a traitor and was more than ready to execute her on the spot. All she could do was wait for the Huntress' sword to slice through her neck and…

"But I believe you."

Aveline opened her eyes and blinked repeatedly as Artemis finally withdrew the sword away from the dumbfounded woman's neck.

"Huh? What?" Aveline said in a confused tone as she took a deep breath that she was unknowingly holding back and then slid down with her back against the wall as she tried to make sense of the Huntress' action.

"Most coursers are able to tell when someone's lying simply by reading body language. Sure, humans can do that too, but it's easier for us. Institute tech, programming, and all that crap."

Artemis extended her hand to help the other woman up from the floor.

"I had a feeling you were telling the truth. These weren't exactly the best of circumstances to deal with, I know. Honestly? I just wanted to see you squirm a little," Artemis explained with a small smirk forming on her lips.

"You sadistic bitch," Aveline responded, though there was a look of relief and slight amusement in her eyes as she looked towards the synths and tried to give them a reassuring smile. Artemis turned her attention towards them as well, but now with a more serious look on her face.

"You guys are going to stay here for now and keep that door locked. Do not open it for anyone at all unless they are a Railroad agent. Simply ask 'Do you have a Geiger counter?' and their answer should be 'Mine is in the shop.' Understood?" they nodded timidly, "Good. Charmer, follow me. We still have a battle to win."

"Is that a good idea?" Aveline asked as she shut the door behind them and proceeded to follow the redhead agent out of the tunnels, "If there are still synths up there, would they…you know?"

"What? Like have built in cameras set up on permanent record?" Artemis assumed and when the blonde nodded, she shrugged, "Not really. The field units usually relay back to personally report on their findings. Some coursers are entrusted with camcorders to record any special missions and send the video feed over to the SRB but seeing as I just took out the only courser here, I doubt the higher ups within the Institute are going to witness you using some of their bots for target practice."

As soon as they got out of the tunnels, a few stray laser shots, both red and blue, narrowly missed them. The battle seemed to be in its last stages, all three factions making one last bid to claim victory over Bunker Hill. Pockets of what few Brotherhood soldiers remained gathered together for one more stubborn push. Institute synths were scattered about shooting at whoever was firing back on them. And only a handful of Railroad heavies continued to hold their ground, the rest probably presumed dead or too wounded to continue fighting.

Aveline switched out her pistol for the shotgun she had brought with her, putting it to use now that they were going loud. Survival instincts kicked in as she fired away, tearing apart at least three Gen-1 synths in quick succession and followed that up with a shotgun blast that almost sent a Brotherhood initiate flying back. Artemis did not allow herself to be outdone as she shot down a few synths and enemy soldiers of her own and sliced through a few others with her sword.

The Railroad heavies began to push back the remaining hostiles more easily, seemingly reinvigorated with Artemis returning to combat and watching her fight alongside the woman they merely knew as Charmer.

And if that wasn't enough to turn the fight in the Railroad's favor, the familiar whine of a minigun that belonged to a certain heavy was heard close by.

"Let's rock and roll, baby!"

Glory sported an almost gleeful grin, as she fired a storm of bullets onto a group of Brotherhood troops. At her side was another heavy and between three to four lesser agents who split their tasks between providing support for the Railroad's prized heavy and rushing to the aid of any wounded agent and settler.

' _So, Glory made it with the backup from Ticon,'_ Artemis thought with a relieved smile, _'Dez never lets me down.'_

She and Charmer had just about finished off the last of the Institute synths when the Brotherhood began to sound off a retreat of their own, the battle officially lost to them.

"I say we follow them and clean up this place for good," Glory suggested a few minutes later as she, Artemis, and Aveline stood near the gate of Bunker Hill, watching the last handful of Brotherhood soldiers fall back either to call in a vertibird at a safer location or to hike it back to the police station or the airport on foot.

"I say we leave them," Artemis countered, already aware of Glory's tendency to be a trigger happy hothead, "Besides, if it's clean up you're looking for, we've got plenty of that to do around here," she continued as she gestured towards the street in front of them, littered with burnt scrap from turrets and corpses, both human and robotic.

"Tch, where's the fun in that?" Glory scoffed as she set her minigun onto the floor and leaned against the wall, arms crossed. She turned her gaze over to Charmer, giving her a light, teasing smirk.

"Heard about your Institute friend, Charmer. It seemed he couldn't keep his head on his shoulders. It's good for us that you knew how to keep yours."

"Not a friend. He just came with the job," Aveline meekly responded as she rubbed the back of her neck.

She was tired, oh so tired. Running laps around Bunker Hill as she dodged bullets and lasers, being followed by a courser, getting a gun drawn on her by said courser, having a sword at her throat, and with the realization she had to come up with a believable excuse on to why the mission was botched as to avoid blowing her cover within the Institute; she just wanted to call it a day, knock herself out cold with a bottle of Bobrov's Moonshine and fall asleep on a semi comfortable bed or sleeping bag far away from everyone.

Well, she wouldn't mind sharing space with Desdemona but with things the way they were at the moment, that wasn't gonna happen anytime soon.

"Shit, you're usually a lot chattier than that," Glory raised an eyebrow and Aveline swore that the dark skinned synth looked almost…apologetic?

"Look, I know a few of us haven't been friendly with you recently but you came through for us at the right moment. I guess you did good, Charmer."

"Thanks? I guess?"

' _Doing good…honestly, I'm not even sure what I'm doing at the moment,'_ she thought. She just wanted a moment to rest and hope that in the morning she would feel better about saving those synths as she believed she should.

But there was still one more thing to do. She had been told to meet with Shaun at the top of the CIT building once the situation at Bunker Hill had been dealt with before she departed from the Institute. Aveline still worried about what lie she was going to fabricate to explain why she returned empty handed in addition to losing one the SRB's veteran coursers.

' _What if they find out I never intended to carry out their plan? What if Shaun or someone else there finds out I purposely sabotaged the mission? The Institute probably knows where all my friends are…would they go after them to get to me?'_

"I take it you're not going to stay for celebratory drinks?" Artemis questioned, almost as if she read the blonde woman's mind.

"Not at the moment," Aveline replied somberly, "I have to meet with… the Institute's leader right now. If my cover hasn't been blown, then I have to come up with some explanation as to why the mission failed."

"Well, don't worry too much about it," Glory added, "If anyone here has the talent to pull decent excuses out of their ass, it's you."

"Well, it's not like getting to know the ins and outs of the Institute is on the line or anything," the blonde retorted and realized that she may have sounded a bit harsher than intended. Anxiety and restlessness was making her quite cranky at the moment, "Sorry about that. Look…I really need to go right now. If Dez or anyone else asks, tell them that I'll…I'll stop by HQ as soon as I'm able to."

Before anyone else could say anything, Aveline took off down the road, putting as much distance between her and the settlement so no one would notice her teleport from the area.

The two synth women that had been in her company just a moment ago simply stared back with a raised eyebrow on their respective faces.

"Shit, I know playing double agent can't be easy but I don't think I've ever seen Charmer this wired up," Glory spoke. As Artemis was about to respond, someone else interrupted her.

"Artemis, I'm relieved to see you well," Ada's voice caught her attention as the redhead turned to face the approaching assaultron, "I need to inform you of an urgent matter at hand."

A feeling of unease took over the Huntress as she wondered what could have gone wrong, what did she miss during the fighting…

"You need to see Isabel," the robot informed her as Artemis felt her heart sinking at the thought of the words that would most likely come next, "She has been injured during the fighting and I believe you could take this opportunity to attend to her well-being…as well as discuss certain issues that were placed on hold."

…

 _A/N: I apologize for the very long wait and to any readers who have perhaps grown a bit disillusioned with the lack of updates in all this time. The previous two chapters of this story as well as the frequent updates of my other story during the summer took a lot out of me and I practically ran out of steam for a good while._

 _Adding to my sudden creative lethargy was the fact that I stopped playing Fallout for a while but I recently started replaying it, picking up where I left off in my last two-month old save (where I spent almost an hour wondering where the hell was I and what was I supposed to do next in the playthrough) and found some newfound inspiration to continue writing._

 _While I can't promise constant updates, I'll try to make sure it doesn't come after a two-three month hiatus. Hopefully, things slowly start to come back in order! Plus, I was hoping to update both of my stories by Halloween, which I guess is mission accomplished!_

 _Speaking of which…Happy Halloween folks!_


	13. Chapter 13: Trust and Understanding

"Well…looks like someone's in hot water."

Artemis turned to look at a smirking Glory and sent a vicious glare her way.

"Not like I asked for your input," the Huntress shot back while raising an eyebrow, "…And why are you following me around anyways?"

The two Railroad agents were just a few spaces away from the local inn within Bunker Hill, where most of the wounded agents and settlers had been taken to be treated as there was not enough space in the clinic to address this many patients.

But Artemis was more interested in Isabel, who was sitting on a bench, propped up against a wall to the side of the structure with her shirt lifted halfway up allowing Kay, the veterinarian turned doctor, to tend to the young woman's wounds from the battle. She could see the young woman wince in discomfort as the resident doctor applied some sort of ointment on the left side of her patient's ribs.

From the looks of it, it seemed that a laser shot grazed her side, not enough to do serious damage but still left a small burn scar that would sting if she moved around too much. It would probably take a few days for the skin to fully heal.

Isabel looked up and upon seeing the synth woman approach her, she immediately turned her head away, though whether it was out of anger or disappointment, Artemis wasn't sure.

"I guess I don't have anything better to do," the silver haired woman responded with a casual shrug of her shoulders, drawing an exasperated sigh from her fellow rebel synth-in-arms.

"There's plenty to do around here!" the Huntress sharply disagreed, "Patrol the perimeter, help the others clean up the mess here…" Artemis trailed off before she turned her gaze back towards Isabel, "I just need a few minutes of privacy…Oh for fuck's sake! Not that kind of privacy!" the ex-courser quickly chastised as she caught a teasing grin forming on Glory's lips.

"Hey, you said it, not me," Glory mocked and felt even more amused when she saw a light blush form on the Huntress' cheek, "All right, I'll get out of your hair for now. Besides, I should probably escort the runaways over to Ticon now that the coast seems clear. Dez's orders," the Heavy added the last part when Artemis gave her a questioning look.

"Well in that case, good luck then," the Huntress said, "I'll probably see you later at HQ."

Glory nodded and picked up her minigun as Artemis watched her wander off to the other end of the settlement to pick up the runaway synths they had protected throughout the day. She let out a tired sigh as she turned her full attention towards Isabel and approached her, bracing herself for whatever was to come.

"What happened to you?" she questioned and for a moment, Isabel remained silent until she sighed and, while avoiding the Huntress' gaze, answered with, "It's nothing…Just got hit with a stray shot."

"'It's nothing' she says," Kay said sarcastically, "You pushed one of those Railroad agents out of the way and took the shot from that synth instead. You're lucky it only grazed you though. A little more to the side and your ribs would've been turned to ash," she stated as she wrapped a length of bandage wrap around her patient's midsection to keep the gauze in place.

"Let the ointment do its work and the wound should heal by the end of the week," she said as she finished her work, allowing Isabel to pull her shirt back down while looking none too pleased with the 'doctor's' earlier bluntness, "Now, if you'll both excuse me, I'll be tending to the other wounded," Kay said as she picked up her medkit, not paying any mind to her patient's sudden petulance as she took her leave.

Once the doctor had left, Artemis approached Isabel and sat next to her on the bench. The young woman made no effort to stop her or move away but she still did not bother sparing a glance at the Huntress. Artemis tried to think of something to say to break the ice but Isabel eventually beat her to the punch.

"Why did you lie to me?"

Simple and straight to the point. Artemis partly felt like calling out Isabel for attempting the same thing barely a minute ago but decided against it. She would never antagonize Isabel in such a manner and to be fair, the former mechanist was right to feel what she felt considering for how long Artemis kept her in the dark about her affiliation with the Railroad.

A mix of emotions laced Isabel's voice. Anger, confusion, disappointment…Artemis had taken a page out of Deacon's book and believed that lying had been a necessary precaution at the time. It didn't make her feel any better about it though.

Thinking quickly, she resorted to the first answer that she had prepared in her mind.

"I was only trying to protect you-"

"Bullshit!"

Artemis was taken aback by the interruption from Isabel's sudden outburst as much as the young woman herself, who stared back with wide eyes as she covered her own mouth. Her gaze immediately dropped as she realized that this was perhaps the first time she swore at the synth woman sitting next to her.

"Sorry," she mumbled softly and Artemis felt her heart sink a little as she gazed upon the confused expression of her girlfriend.

"Don't be," Artemis spoke up as she kept her eyes on Isabel, "I did kind of deserve that…and more."

Silence fell down between them after that but it did not last more than a minute as the synth spoke up again, refusing to allow this moment to get any more awkward than it should.

"Perhaps you feel like I'm treating you as a damsel in distress or some sort of defenseless child every time you step out here into the open but I want you to know that was never my intention," the Huntress said as one of her hands reached out for Isabel's, fingertips lightly grazing the caramel skin. The gentle touch was enough for the mechanist to stop staring at the floor and turn her attention towards the Huntress, "I've never really been clear about a lot of things other than I'm a runaway synth."

"Just tell me…why did you need to hide all of this from me?" The smaller woman asked softly as she tried to make herself comfortable with her partner. While she still felt disappointed at the Huntress, she realized she couldn't stay mad at her even for an hour, much less forever. Call her naïve but deep down, she felt that Artemis must have had her reasons to keep everything about herself under wraps.

"To be fair…" the synth began, "I did kind of give you half-truths…" She stopped when Isabel's lips twitched into a small frown but she just shook her head and continued anyway, "Look, I've wandered with Aveline on a few occasions to help her take care of a few responsibilities, whether it was sorting out some issue for the Minutemen, doing odd jobs for random folks out here, or just getting the low of the land."

"But…" Artemis continued, trying to focus on the topic rather than the creeping warmth of Isabel's hands spreading to her own, "We both did work for the Railroad as well and that had to be kept secret."

"Aveline? She's with them too?" she asked, remembering the blonde woman who had confronted her a few months back at the lair beneath the RobCo factory and put a stop to her flawed plan to help the Commonwealth, which ended up doing more harm than good.

"She's with us, yes," Artemis responded, "And before you ask why we keep things secret, the answer to that question just happened a while ago," the synth added, releasing her hands from Isabel's and pointed around the settlement, gesturing towards dead Brotherhood soldiers and broken down Institute synths that had yet to be disposed of.

They both sat there quietly as Isabel took a moment to look around the settlement. Talk about being at the wrong place at the wrong time. She was lucky to have survived, though Ada deserved some credit for protecting her as best she could when those Institute robots started moving in.

Still, her earlier question remained slightly unanswered.

"So, what's the Railroad and why haven't you told me about them?" she asked the synth woman beside her.

Isabel watched intently as Artemis took a deep breath as she slowly rubbed her hands together. A small gesture that the young woman could tell meant that her partner was seemingly lost in thought, looking for a short response to what would probably be a rather long answer.

"The Railroad…the short version is that they're an organization that dedicates itself to fighting a secret war of their own against the Institute," Isabel found the Huntress' response to be a bit vague but she let her continue, "They also help synths that run away from the Institute and try to give them a new start up here in the Commonwealth or any other surrounding territory."

"Like you?"

"Yeah…like me," Artemis softly said as her lips curled into a wistful smile, "But unlike many of us who end up being sent to settle down elsewhere, I chose to join up with them and fight. Honestly, I made that decision because fighting and killing was pretty much all I knew…It was what the Institute programmed me to do."

The Huntress skipped out on more specific details such as preparing mind wipes for synths who couldn't handle the trauma they endured at the Institute, the use of safehouses and dead drops and all that. She probably broke a few regulations already with what little she mentioned. She could already feel Desdemona's burning glare from a distance.

"But you became more than that," Isabel said as she took the synth woman's hands into her own, any anger and disappointment she might have harbored minutes ago now replaced with sympathy and assurance, "You became your own person."

"I suppose I did," Artemis responded, finding some comfort in her partner's words, "As for why I tried to keep you from knowing I'm a Railroad agent…Look, I meant what I said when my intent was to protect you. The Institute…anyone up here in the Commonwealth that the Institute suspects might be affiliated with the Railroad or knows someone who is usually end up kidnapped and tortured by them. Once they have the information they want, they kill their prisoner. Even if they don't have anything of value to give them, they kill them anyway just to tie up loose ends."

' _I would know…I carried out a few missions like that before I turned my back on those assholes.'_

This trend continued a handful of times since she has been a part of the Railroad, only now she was seeing it happen from the other side of the fence.

If an agent proved themselves troublesome and elusive enough for the Institute to handle, they switched tactics and pursued their friends or loved ones instead if they were able. Bastards were well versed in the craft of 'hitting your enemy where it hurts the most' after all.

For some agents that had been affected in such a manner, it only fueled their anger towards the shadowy organization and made them even more eager to see the Institute burn. But for some others, their will to fight, and sometimes live, was mercilessly shattered.

A hand gently rubbing her arm snapped Artemis out of her grim thoughts and noticed that Isabel was the one responsible for the soothing touch. She also noticed that both her hands had been clenched tightly into fists, tight enough that she could feel her fingernails digging into the palm of her hand.

The thought of something similar happening to the young woman sitting beside her…

"I just thought that the less you knew about my line of work, the better," Artemis said, "I probably broke some of our safety protocols with what little I told you but I figured you would have caught on soon anyway. But that's all I'm willing to share with you. I trust you Isabel but it's for the Railroad's safety."

' _Or what little safety there may be left for us,'_ Artemis grimly thought, _'Bunker Hill was just a taste of what awaits the Commonwealth in the coming days. Things are only going to get even more intense from here on out.'_

"See? That wasn't so hard now, was it?" Isabel said in a lighter voice, "I know I felt angry before but I just wanted…to understand what was going on…"

Artemis placed a finger on the young woman's lips, silencing her before she could begin rambling about things she had no need to apologize for.

"It's okay," she said, softly and assuredly, "You had a reason to be angry. But know that I would never hurt you in any way if I can avoid it."

She moved her finger away and then reached up to gently place her hand on Isabel's cheek as they gazed into each other's eyes. It was a peaceful moment between them, a well-deserved break from all the chaos that happened earlier in the day. The Huntress then took her chance to move in and plant a tender kiss on the other woman's lips.

"I'm…" Isabel stuttered after they both pulled away from each other after a few seconds, a shy grin on her face, "I'm just glad you're still alive after everything that just happened. I'm still trying to get my head wrapped around it."

"The feeling's mutual," Artemis responded in kind as she lifted herself off the bench, "Listen, you should stay here and rest for a little. Make sure that wound doesn't bother you anymore."

"Where are you going?" Isabel asked, albeit a little too quickly.

"I won't be away long. I just need to take care of something and I'll be back in a few hours to accompany you back home if you want…" she calmly offered in reassurance.

The former Mechanist noticed the tinge of red that spread on her partner's cheeks and realized that her own face suddenly felt warm as well.

"Sure…I uh, I'll wait for you," she shyly responded.

"Great!" Artemis said with a little more excitement than was needed before pulling herself together and looked at Isabel with a worried expression, "In the meantime, try not to play hero while I'm gone."

The young woman could only smile sheepishly as her synth partner leaned down to give her a quick peck on the cheek before she turned to walk towards the front gate of the settlement with an extra bounce to her step.

Isabel took a deep breath as she lazily leaned back against the wall behind her. After a few moments, she suddenly shot up from the bench, causing her to place a hand over her ribs when her wound protested.

"Oh shit! Where's my pack?!" she asked no one in particular as she frantically searched around her spot.

"Your belongings are safe with Mr. Savoldi, Miss Cruz."

The sudden sound of a monotone voice nearly made her jump out of her skin but Isabel quickly calmed herself when she turned to face Ada. The assaultron had been away while Artemis had been talking with the young woman to grant them privacy.

"Oh…well that's good," she said, sounding a little more relieved as she sat back down on the bench, "I need that scrap to finish up some projects back home."

"But we have still not acquired the aluminum you were looking for," Ada reminded her, to which Isabel could only shrug in response.

"Eh…I'll make do with whatever I've got on hand. I'm too tired to do anything else right now. Already had my fill of walking around and adventuring for today."

The mechanist idly rested, waiting for her partner to return from whatever else she was doing while the stinging sensation on her ribs subsided. Ada stood there in her usual mechanical posture, awaiting any further instructions and when it became clear that she would receive none for the moment, she spoke up.

"Is everything okay between you and Miss Rose?" Ada asked, tilting her mechanical head to the side as if expressing curiosity. The robot found her answer when she saw the young woman's lips turn up into a small but hopeful smile.

"Yeah…everything's okay."

…

A/N: Two chapters updated in one day. This one is a rather short chapter compared to the others within this story but I wanted to get this part over with so it wouldn't interfere with the next chapter.


	14. Chapter 14: No Place to Call Home

Aveline landed somewhere close to the C.I.T. building as she tried to get her bearings together. She stumbled around a bit, mostly a result from moving so soon after using the teleporter as well as from the fatigue and aches in her muscles that had begun to weigh her down for the day. As she had thought before, all she wanted was a night's worth of rest but Shaun had requested her presence here and she couldn't help but wonder about what would happen next?

The blonde momentarily froze when she spotted a familiar looking courser near the entrance to the ruined building but moved forward again when he made no sign of hostility.

"Father is expecting you on the roof of the building, ma'am," X6-88 informed her in that montone voice of his, "I would suggest you make haste, if only so we could leave this cesspit."

"You're not coming with?" Aveline asked with some curiosity. She was expecting some form of mistrust or hostility but it seemed that they were none the wiser about her actions at Bunker Hill and her reluctance to fulfill the Institute's mission. Still, it was too soon to drop her guard.

"He wishes a private talk. It is not my place to overhear your discussion, so I will stand guard here to make sure there are no signs of hostility. As soon as Father gives me the signal, I will be returning to the Institute along with him," the courser responded and opened the door to allow the woman through into the ruins of what was once an institution of higher learning.

She remembered avoiding this place a few months ago as it was inhabited by a group of Super Mutants but now there were none in sight, in their place were now around three Gen-2 synths patrolling the hallways. The Institute must have taken care of the mutants long before her arrival here.

Aveline eventually found the roof access, pushing the rusted door open as it creaked loudly from practically centuries of disuse.

As she stepped outside, she found the familiar figure of Shaun, hands inside the pockets of his lab coat and with his back turned to her, staring out into the horizon. He looked over his shoulder to see who was intruding but his gaze softened a little when he saw that it was Aveline who had arrived and waved her to come over.

"It's a relief to see you well, Mother," he greeted as the woman approached him.

"Eh…I've had better days," Aveline responded. She seemed to stumble a little but when Shaun tried to reach out for her, she lifted a hand as a gesture to show that she was fine at the moment.

"I suppose you have," was the Director's simple response as he studied his mother and turned to look upon the horizon once again after he was certain that Aveline was not seriously injured or anything of the sort.

The woman in question followed Shaun's gaze and took in the view of the sun setting over Boston. Despite how tired she was, she didn't feel disoriented from the height she was standing, instead feeling an odd sense of peace and intrigue as she stared across the landscape.

"You know, I've never been once on the surface," Shaun broke the momentary silence as he kept staring at the ruined city across the river, "In all my years, I never found a reason to come once up here…But this? This world died long ago. Humanity's only hope for survival lies with the Institute."

The prewar woman sighed as she looked down at her feet, already anticipating where this conversation was going. Part of her did not wish to be confrontational with her son. After all, the two of them really were just barely getting to know each other, to understand each other. But another side of her felt that she needed to voice her actual feelings on the matter a little more loudly, enough to remind him that she wasn't going to be another one of his 'yes-men' without endangering her cover within the organization..

And without the meddling and prying eyes of the Directorate and everyone else at the Institute, she decided to remind Shaun of her own two cents.

"I disagree," Aveline curtly responded as she kept her composure, "While you may find it hard to believe, there are people out here attempting to make a living for themselves and those close to them, enduring whatever hardships the wasteland and other humans who follow their baser instincts put them through."

"That may be so but at what cost?" her son questioned in kind, "Without the minds and resources that we have at the Institute, there is absolutely nothing of worth that they could achieve. Only more bloodshed."

"Have you or anyone within the Institute tried to help out up here in all the years that this organization existed?" Aveline responded, "You talk about the Institute's goal of helping humanity yet it seems that most of their accomplishments go towards helping themselves."

She noticed that her tone was becoming sharper than usual but her words had already flown right out of her mouth before she could hold them back.

"If we are to survive and accomplish our goals, then it is only logical for us to amass whatever resources we are able into helping the Institute prosper," Shaun justified, "Only then can we truly save the human race. But those who live on the surface are most likely a lost cause."

The prewar woman sighed and shook her head in disapproval. Not that her opinion on the matter would do much to sway him. He was already the head of a strong and resourceful organization. Why would he care for her approval?

"I know that you feel that the Institute kidnapped me, Mother," he continued, "But nothing could be further from the truth. I hope one day you'll come to understand that they, in fact, saved me from the horrors of this world."

It shouldn't hurt like this. Perhaps Shaun didn't truly know what he was saying or he didn't know how to express himself properly. But Aveline felt those words like a dagger piercing her heart, a flurry of emotions spilling out from the wound. Hurt, anger, confusion, sadness…the sort of emotions that she tried her best to hide under lock and key.

What could the Institute have done to her boy to make him believe that they were his saviors instead of kidnappers and murderers who have destroyed her family and dozens of others like hers in all these years?

"Saved you? The Institute saved you?!" she asked with a bewildered edge to her voice, "The Institute saved you from loving parents who would have moved heaven and earth in order to provide you whatever you needed. They saved you by murdering your father in cold blood! What Kellogg did to your father was murder! No matter how you or anyone else in the Institute try to downplay it as 'collateral damage!'"

The volume at which she spoke gradually rose and she clasped her hands behind her back to make sure they didn't start shaking. If she was going to show vulnerability, she would have to show as little as possible.

"I'm aware that you harbor a certain, and perhaps justified, anger for what my predecessors have done," Shaun calmly spoke as if there was a rational explanation for everything, "I suppose I may have used a poor choice of words the day we finally met as well but please understand that I have had more than 60 years to come to terms about what happened. In turn, the Institute took me in and raised me as one of their own and made me into the person I am today."

' _I can see that,'_ the blonde bitterly thought, knowing full well everything the Institute took from her but nonetheless allowed herself to relax her posture as her son continued talking.

"And I will admit that I've had my fair share of moments in my years where I've sat down and thought 'what if?'. But my work and the Institute's work is to ensure the future of humanity and I'm afraid that our goals will not be achieved if I were to constantly cling to the past."

Aveline felt that the last part was a small, unintentional jab at her but she could concede his point that being too wrapped in the past could prove to be counter-productive. But then again, it was clinging to the hope of finding and reuniting with her son and salvaging the dream of giving him as decent a life as she could out here was what kept her going. She needed to remind him of that fact.

"That may be so, Shaun. But it was holding onto something from the past…the dream that your father and I shared to raise you to be the best you could be…that was what kept me from giving up. That was what gave me the strength to keep pushing until I found you," she said and watched as her son kept his gaze on her, listening intently as she continued to speak, "And the reason I can't dismiss the wasteland as easily as you is because I came across plenty of folks who stood by me and encouraged me to keep going."

"This place is filled with violence and all sorts of horrors, I'll give you that," she continued to speak, "But the Commonwealth is home to many people who wish to build a future of their own. While it is not the kind of future that you or the Institute envisions, it is still one that I find is worth giving a shot."

For a moment, Shaun looked thoughtful, seemingly contemplating the words spoken by her mother. Aveline felt that maybe she was making a bit of progress after all.

"I see. Perhaps I've been too focused on so many theories and details that I never truly gave enough credit to the willpower and fortitude that one could gather in times of apparent hopelessness. When I had you released from Vault 111, I had initially thought that you would not have survived very long in such a volatile world. I should-"

And just like that, everything crumbled.

' _When I had you released from Vault 111…I had initially thought that you would not have survived…'_

The rising hope for her son crashed and burned around her as Aveline felt her brain shut down momentarily with only those words echoing in her mind. Shaun continued speaking but she couldn't make out what he was saying, mind numb and gut churning as her suspicions were confirmed, sadness and disappointment overtaking her.

' _He doesn't see you as his mother. You're only his prized experiment.'_

"You…" she managed to say once she was able to form some semblance of coherent thoughts, "You released me from the cryopod? You threw me out into this world and even expected me to die?!"

Shaun looked caught off guard with the accusation, almost as if he had not expected Aveline, or anyone for that matter, to react this badly to his confession. It should have been obvious that someone so engrossed in the field of science, to the point of pushing every single boundary possible, would practically see everything as an experiment of sorts.

"I wouldn't necessarily put it that way," Shaun said, attempting to salvage the situation, "But given the fact that you were a lawyer in our old world and that you might have had little to no training in survival…the odds were stacked against you, I'm afraid. But you've proven me wrong. You have overcome every obstacle the wasteland had thrown your way and managed to even infiltrate the very Institute just to find me. An impressive feat that I doubt anyone else could accomplish."

Unfortunately, Aveline does not feel impressed or amazed as he is, given the circumstance. It is a struggle to keep herself from storming away from the rooftop and disappearing into the wasteland, distancing herself as far as possible from this stranger who claimed to be her son.

"Why then?" she asked, voice so soft and low it almost sounded like a barely audible whisper, "Why release me after all this time?"

"Apart from my curiosity, there was just no need to keep you frozen there any longer," her son explained matter-of-factly, as if this was all part of the norm for him and anyone around him, "I believed it was time that I should finally meet my own mother and see if she would succeed in finding me or if she would be lost or corrupted to the wasteland."

The prewar woman felt the world swirl around her and had to take a moment to compose herself and push down the bile that threatened to rise in her throat. The way her own son spoke made it sound like this was some sort of sick game of hide and seek.

' _Ah, hello Mother! At the count of ten, I'll be opening your cryopod so you can search for me across this blasted landscape. All that stands between you and my hiding spot are dozens of mutants, hostile wildlife that will tear you to pieces, and humans who have gone off the deep end and pillage for a living. While I don't really think you have much of a chance at surviving out here, I will be pleasantly surprised if you do and I'll be here ready to groom you into the Institute's next gun-for-hire.'_

"I see…" was all she muttered, watching her son's lips turn into a slight frown as he noticed that she did not share the same wonder and scientific curiosity he had.

"You do not share the same intrigue I feel about your situation?" he said, more a statement than a question.

"I'm just tired, Shaun," she lied, rubbing her temple, "Especially considering the day I had." He seemed to have bought her fib as his expression softened just a little even though he still maintained his professional stance.

"I understand, Mother. I must have gotten ahead of myself," her son responded in a more assuring tone, "But since you already brought it up, I've been meaning to ask you…What exactly happened at Bunker Hill?"

There it was! The question of the day!

"You probably already know it went badly," Aveline answered with a bitter edge to her voice, forgetting her earlier despondence as she looked her son in the eye, "Especially since you conveniently failed to tell me of the Brotherhood's interference."

"Another one of my regrets, I suppose," Shaun said after letting out a tired sigh, "I should have informed you but the rest of the Board was wary that you would turn down the mission if you knew that those barbarians were preparing for war at Bunker Hill. They would have used that as an excuse to consider banishing you from the Institute. This mission was supposed to prove your worth to the rest of them as well as observe how you would have responded to unexpected variables."

"Of course they did…and you went along with it."

Another test. This whole mission was just another asinine experiment on her with little regard to her safety. It was becoming clear to Aveline that the Institute cared for nothing except results. Especially Shaun, who looked more disappointed that things did not go their way instead of feeling truly elated that his mother made it out alive of that shitstorm of a battle.

Her son looked taken aback by her accusation and she probably would have felt bad for it and apologized but the disappointment she felt towards him overlooked any other thoughts and feelings she may have had that instant.

"I…I may have gotten carried away. Seeing how you were successful at overcoming every obstacle you have encountered in the Commonwealth, I forgot that you also have your limits," Shaun lamented, "It seems my sources must have misjudged the situation beforehand."

"Your 'sources'," Aveline added, "…also failed to tell you that the Railroad was better entrenched than you thought them to be. We were ambushed as soon as we stepped foot inside Bunker Hill. X4-18 was cut down pretty quickly and the rest of the synths he called in for support were too busy fighting Brotherhood soldiers so I had no choice but to fall back and abort the mission."

The lie was one she crafted on the spot but it was one that would make the most sense in regards to the Railroad.

"So that's what happened to X4-18?" the old man asked in an incredulous tone and slightly shook his head, "Dr. Ayo will spend the whole week complaining about losing one of his more prized coursers."

Aveline felt the urge to chuckle which she suppressed immediately. At least there was a little humor in all this.

She wished she could see his face as the bloodthirsty bastard of a scientist stewed over the loss of his precious coursers, remembering his reaction when she simply responded with 'Shoot them enough and they die just like anyone else' when the head of the SRB questioned how some random wastelander like her was able to subdue a 'superior fighting machine'. It was an understatement to say that Dr. Ayo did not find her answer as amusing as she did.

"I suppose you did choose the best course of action, given the situation. After all, you are far too valuable to the Institute's future to be lost to those barbarians," Shaun said, "The fault lies with me. I should have provided more coursers to guard you as well as the necessary information to have made sure that our mission was a success. I will have a word with the Board of Directors about this setback and make sure that there are no more tensions by the time we have our next board meeting at the end of the week."

"Board meeting?" the woman curiously questioned.

"Yes. Our next meeting is scheduled to take place in seven days. Hopefully by then we will have put any matters or concerns regarding Bunker Hill to rest and move on with the next phase of our plan for the Institute," Shaun explained, "Which is why I am also extending an invitation to you, Mother, to the meeting as there will be plenty of important issues to discuss that will require your presence."

"What kind of important issues?" Aveline asked, attempting to press her son for more information.

"I'm afraid you will have to wait until the meeting for any further details. All I can say is that it involves matters of utmost importance to the Institute and for the future generations to come," Shaun vaguely responded, "Can I count on you to be there for us?"

' _Well, I suppose I don't have much of a choice now, do I?'_ she thought as she tried to settle whatever unease she felt in her gut.

Part of Aveline wanted to reject Shaun's offer. She did not care for the Institute. They could take a hike for all that mattered while the feelings of disappointment and disillusion towards her own son grew within her.

But she had to hold back her anger and her sadness. Everyone within the Railroad, hell perhaps most of the Commonwealth if they heard the news of her entry into the Institute by now, were counting on her to gather as much information as she could from the inside. If she lost access to them, they would all be in the dark again, and the Commonwealth would once again grow even more fearful of the boogeyman that was the Institute.

No. For everyone's sake, she had to endure this.

"Of course, Shaun," she spoke past the lump in her throat as she tried to muster a smile, "I'll be there in a week for the meeting. In the meantime, I'll stay up here for a few days. I just…I just need to be alone for a little while."

Her son was none the wiser, returning a small but satisfied smile of his own, "Very well then, Mother. Admittedly, I am not fond of you wandering this desolate wasteland any longer than necessary but I understand that you need your space. But do remember that the Institute is now as much your home as it is mine."

There was that word… _Home_. That very word that at one time made her filled her with warmth now only provoked feelings of uncertainty within her very being.

As the crackling flash of blue light took Shaun back to his quarters within the Institute, Aveline was left alone on the roof of C.I.T. to ponder about the last thing her son told her.

She once desired a family which she achieved after marrying Nathaniel and eventually giving birth to Shaun. The house they bought in Sanctuary Hills was just a bonus. It was home in both the figurative and literal sense where she could find a moment of safety and comfort from the troubles that had been plaguing the country for so long at that time.

Her mind continued to dwell on that thought as her body seemingly moved on autopilot, away from the roof and heading to the lower sections of the ruined building. There were still synths patrolling the area, most likely sticking around to ensure her safety as long as she was around these premises. It's not like the Institute had any interest in securing these ruins for any other reason.

With her husband dead, Aveline began her journey to find their son and hopefully rebuild the family she had almost lost and secure a home for them both where they could make do with anything at their disposal…Only to find that her son was now an old man who already had his home in the Institute.

Even as Sanctuary thrived as it was now, it just didn't feel the same as it used to. She was happy for Sturges, Mama Murphy and all the others who have moved in and turned the ruins of what was once her neighborhood into something better but she wasn't sure if she felt right to continue referring to Sanctuary as it was as her home.

As she made it into the ground level of the C.I.T. Ruins, she came to the conclusion that she practically had nothing any more. No family left, no place to truly call her own…

She left the building and stepped out into the wasteland, with the knowledge that she had absolutely nothing left in this world.

…

Aveline did not look back as she walked away from the old C.I.T. building at a brisk pace, wanting to quickly put as much distance between her and anything to do with the Institute for now. She had a week until she had to return there for the Directorate meeting that Shaun had scheduled and she was going to take advantage of it. No shiny floors and sleek walls in her sight for the next few days.

She would be missing out on a soft bed, clean sheets, hot showers and meals that didn't make her scrunch her nose in disdain half the time but it was a necessary sacrifice if only to avoid the false pleasantries and repetitive platitudes that would surround her in the place Shaun expected her to call home.

The prewar woman wandered aimlessly through the Cambridge area, making sure to steer away from the Brotherhood's outpost at the police station. She didn't know where to go or what to do. The only thing she desired at this very moment was a stiff drink…or maybe a dozen. Enough to cloud her mind and hopefully not keep thinking back on the conversation she had with Shaun. But where to go?

Not Sanctuary…she hadn't been there since she came back from the Institute. Too many people who knew her who would ask too many questions. The Dugout Inn? Vadim meant well but his overly jovial demeanor and booming voice would bring her attention that she didn't want. Same for the Third Rail in Goodneighbor. Many people there knew her already and while Hancock, Charlie, and Magnolia knew when people wanted to be left alone to their own vices, she felt that coming from her, it would be almost disrespectful to turn down the company of the charismatic ghoul mayor and the lovely songstress.

Luckily, it seemed that fate decided to pity Aveline after throwing so much bullshit at her for the entire day and granted a solution to her problems when the prewar woman decided to stop by a rundown building to search for scrap.

"Hey friend!"

…

Ron, the wandering alcohol salesman. Aveline could have hugged him right then and there but the last thing she wanted was for his drunken scavver friends to think she had gone completely mental. So she did the next best thing and bought out his entire stock of Bourbon, around six bottles, much to the disappointment of at least one or two of the revelers ("Aw man…I wanted that last bottle.").

She ended up buying whatever drinks he had left for the scavvers and unsurprisingly, their tune changed pretty quickly.

"You done cleaned me out of my supply, my dear lady," Ron told her over the rambunctious laughter from the others accompanying him, "It'll be a while before I hit the road again with another fine collection of drinks to share with my friends but business is business. Do stay safe out there!"

Aveline could only respond with a weak and slightly forced smile as she bid them farewell and set off to…where did she want to go?

' _Fuck it all,'_ she thought as she headed out of Cambridge and saw Bunker Hill in the distance. She made sure to distance herself from there as well.

After a short while, four empty bourbon bottles clanged loudly against each other as they hung from Aveline's waist after tying them around her belt. She was already chugging the fifth one as she wandered into the historical district.

Her feet were already aching from the distance she walked but she continued to drag herself through the ruins of the city.

She would have been easy prey for raiders or mutants in her aimless and drunken state but for some reason, she had yet to run into trouble. It seemed that all the fighting that took place at Bunker Hill earlier probably got them to decide on crossing out mayhem and wholesale slaughter within the area off their to-do lists just for today.

It wasn't long before Aveline made her way into the familiar rundown church and tossed the empty bottle of alcohol across the ruined chapel, hitting a feral ghoul right in the head as it was getting up and knocking him back down. Must have been killed or at least viciously knocked out as it did not get back up again but that was enough for the blonde.

She unfastened the lid on the sixth and final bottle as she made her way up the stairs, towards the ruined bell tower.

The prewar woman was certain that Artemis and the others would have already filled Desdemona in on everything that transpired and was even more certain that the Railroad Alpha would want to hear Charmer's side of the story as well.

Aveline could avoid everyone else but she would not be able to avoid the Railroad, at least not for very long. She hoped giving in to alcoholism would grant her some liquid courage to face Dez and be able to recount everything that had happened on the Institute's end. Or at the very least, being drunk would make her incoherent enough for her stony (ex?) lover to cut her some slack while she got her shit together…if she ever got her shit together.

The light of the moon was the only thing illuminating her little sightseeing spot at the top of the Old North Church and looking up towards the sky, Aveline felt a moment's worth of peace before she thought on everything that brought her to this moment.

Her husband murdered. Her son kidnapped. And she who tried everything to correct that, to save what the Institute attempted to destroy. Her family…and now she realized that the Institute have destroyed her family a second time by turning her son into…into…

Even she didn't know what to call him and as much as it pained her to accept…she could not call that man, that stranger, her son. This was not the Shaun she would have raised, one who saw fit to play god in any way he pleased. One who saw the lives of people up here as variables and numbers on some scientific connotations…one who saw his own mother as a curious test subject for some grand, twisted experiment where he was even betting on the likelihood that she would have failed in her quest.

' _No...No more thinking about that…Why am I still thinking about that?'_ she thought as she looked down at the bottle in her hand.

"You…*hic*…You're not doing your job!" she spoke in a slurred manner to the Bourbon bottle.

' _Arguing with a bottle of alcohol…I guess I really am losing it.'_

Around the same moment that she tipped the bottle to her lips, she could hear the sound of footsteps downstairs, cursing inwardly as she tried to figure out who would be disturbing her at this very moment.

Then she remembered that no one exactly knew she was even here yet so she hoped that whoever it was would keep away from coming up here.

Aveline did not get her wish as the footsteps approached closer and now the stranger was climbing up the ladder towards the top of the church as well.

"Hey! Can't a lady take a brea-…"

As the prewar woman spun around, her slightly slurred speech came to a halt as she locked eyes with the person intruding on her space. Specifically, a familiar ginger haired woman who sported an equally surprised look on her face.

Seconds passed like minutes as silence hung over them, creating a slightly awkward atmosphere that led them both to break it at the same time.

"…Dez."

"…Charmer."

…

A/N: Just a quick announcement that this story (along with my other story) will be put on temporary hiatus. Don't really know for how long but it will be a long while before I get back to updating them again. Reason being that I will be most likely moving next month (I was originally going to move in October but then I landed a seasonal job before that and I was like 'Why not? Some extra pocket change to take with me.'). So there's that and settling down into a new place and job, it will be a while before I get my bearings together and now I have quite a few personal errands to run in the coming days. I just won't have the time and focus to continue writing at the moment.

In the meantime, I may consider rewriting some parts of the story while I'm on hiatus. After reading it over a few times, I felt that maybe I could polish some chapters up a little more.

Anyways, I hope everyone has gotten what they wanted this holiday season and may everyone have a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!


	15. Chapter 15: No Rest For Weary Hearts

_A/N: It's already been over a year since I published this story and almost four months since I last updated…Time definitely flies. I've just been busy with work and I've barely had enough time to catch up with most of my fics and planned stories. Just a heads up though, this chapter has plenty of dialogue._

…

A few hours after receiving the big news of the day, Desdemona felt that a short walk outside HQ was in order, even if it was just to the upper levels of the church. All she desired at the moment was a few minutes to herself, away from the hustle and bustle of HQ where half the agents were now working overtime to deal with the aftermath of the day's events and the other half were getting themselves piss drunk in celebration. Maybe drawing in a bit of fresh air while she processed everything…every report, every word that had reached her ears in the past hours would do some good before focusing her attention back to the proverbial drawing board.

Artemis had stopped by earlier to brief Dez on their success and fill her in on all the important details regarding everything that went down at Bunker Hill but afterwards the synth agent vanished as quick as she arrived for reasons unknown to the Railroad leader.

While she didn't appreciate the Huntress running off to who-knows-where on such immediate notice without her approval, Desdemona silently conceded that if anyone deserved the night off after today, it was Artemis. Hell, if it was up to her, she would have given the redhead agent a whole month to herself; she definitely deserved a respite…

But unfortunately the current situation would not allow anyone within the Railroad that kind of luxury.

They had won the Battle of Bunker Hill and Ticon Safehouse now had four more liberated synths to care for. Glory had kept the escapees safe as she escorted them to Ticonderoga for temporary shelter until the situation cooled down a bit and everyone involved got over their after-battle jitters.

This victory was a fucking miracle in itself, a first for the organization. Defeating two factions that were much stronger than them while keeping four runaways intact all at once…

But miracles would not be enough to win this war and even the favorable result was barely enough to set Desdemona's mind at ease.

She wandered through the empty tunnels by herself, stopping for a moment to pull out a new pack of cigarettes from her breast pocket, courtesy of Tinker Tom who had spared her a couple upon immediate request. Shaky fingers began flicking at the lighter in her free hand to no avail, apparently having run out of juice.

"Come on…piece of shit," Desdemona irritably growled as she gave the lighter a few more futile flicks before tossing it aside and searched for an extra she always carried, lighting up the cigarette held between her lips.

She took a deep drag as she leaned back against the wall, shutting her eyes to allow herself a second of relaxation as she felt the rush of nicotine within her; like a warm blanket that had wrapped around her lungs and brain, offering her a light and pleasant comfort from the worry and anxiety that followed her the entire day. The light tremble in her hands slowly faded away as she took another drag.

Nicotine withdrawal was becoming a bitch to deal with.

Desdemona tried to focus on the current issues at hand. She needed to think…to plan the Railroad's next step but to do so, she would have wait and see what course of action the Brotherhood of Steel or the Institute would take after their failures at Bunker Hill. There was no comfort in the idea of having to wait for your enemies to make the first move but there was not much else she could do about it at the moment.

And a part of her dreaded that the both of them were merely testing the waters at Bunker Hill, in a manner of speaking. Desdemona knew that the Brotherhood and the Institute were a lot stronger than what was displayed at the settlement and had yet to attack with full force. She would have to think and act fast to ensure the survival of the Railroad.

And that wasn't the only problem Dez was wracking her mind over.

The Railroad had been struggling with a severe lack of manpower ever since they lost the Switchboard HQ and the casualties sustained from Bunker Hill were definitely not going to help matters. Of the seventeen heavies and agents guarding the settlement, five had been killed while six had been wounded and would not be ready for duty until the end of the week.

' _Better than I expected…But worse than I had hoped.'_

Agent Charmer was also another matter to deal with…

In the end, Aveline chose the Railroad over the Institute, ensuring that the courser would not take back their charges and aiding Artemis and the remaining heavies in mopping up Bunker Hill of the synths brought in by that very courser. And the Railroad Alpha could not decide on what to make of that.

Despite everything, she appreciated that Charmer stuck her neck out to protect the runaways but she also hoped that the vault dweller had been discreet enough in doing so lest she blow her cover within the Institute.

A tired sigh escaped Desdemona's lips as she reached out and pushed aside an ancient wooden door. For the past days she tried to convince herself that ending her relationship with Charmer was the right thing to do. Such attachments in this scenario made for dangerous distractions.

Desdemona kept that idea as a personal rule, knowing that getting close to anyone under the circumstances she was in would be considered folly. But she broke that rule ever since she found herself pining for the blonde vault dweller.

' _That was a mistake…it shouldn't have happened…I shouldn't have permitted such closeness in the first place…'_

She thought of the softness of Aveline's lips pressed against her own as her mind conjured more images and memories of the blonde vault dweller…

' _I shouldn't have allowed it.'_

The feel of her warm, almost unblemished skin beneath her fingers and the sensations that went along with it…

' _It was a mistake.'_

The smug and amused smirk on the vault dweller's face that caused her own lips to twitch in a subtle smile during and after their moments of privacy…

'… _She deserves better than-…'_

"You…*hic*…You're not doing your job!"

The slurred, feminine voice startled Desdemona out of her thoughts and her hand quickly reached for the pistol at her side on instinct. The Railroad leader looked around the dark and cramped room before realizing that the voice she heard came from above her. Seeing that there was no immediate threat within her space, she pulled her hand away from her weapon and looked towards the ladder in front of her instead.

There was something familiar about that voice she just heard, enough to make her heart beat a little faster than usual.

Unsure of what to expect she stepped forward anyway, grabbing onto the wooden rung of the ladder and, perhaps against her better judgment, proceeded to climb up the stairs to find out who had stumbled into the old church.

Whoever was up there must have heard her approach and was most certainly not pleased with that. Dez reached the top of the church, laying eyes on the drunken scavver who had her back turned to her.

'Wait, is that…'

"Hey! Can't a lady take a brea-…"

The blonde woman spun around, her words coming to a halt as Desdemona locked eyes with her. The Railroad leader found it a bit ironic that she would find herself face to face with Charmer again just minutes after dwelling on her. She had wondered if the vault dweller would come back to report to her, half-expecting the blonde to skip out on them and lay low for a while until she got her bearings together.

"… Dez."

"…Charmer."

If the greeting didn't seem awkward enough, the silence that followed was even more so. Desdemona noticed the flushed look on Aveline's face and didn't need to guess as to what caused her to look the way she did, especially when there were half a dozen empty bottles of alcohol around her.

She also caught sight of wet streaks running down from the blonde's eyes and down her cheeks. A stark contrast to the way her lips twitched into a lopsided smile. Dez remained stern and unyielding even though inside she felt a twinge of concern seeing her like this.

"Charmer…" Desdemona began, taking a tiny step forward towards the vault dweller, keeping her guard up just in case Aveline made any sort of irrational move, "Are you…all right?"

' _Now that was a stupid question…Goddamnit, why do I get so tongue-tied when I'm speaking to her?'_

"Never better!" the blonde answered with a cheerfulness that made Desdemona slightly uncomfortable. Her grin widened as she raised her bottle to the air in a triumphant gesture, "Bourbon…actually *hic*…tastes pretty good…after you drink aaalloooottt of it…" Aveline held out the last bottle and its contents towards Desdemona as an offering, "Want some? It's your favorite!"

She gave the bottle a little shake, the liquid inside sloshing around the glass container.

"I…I think I'll pass," Dez refused with a slight shake of her head, noticing the look of disappointment in Aveline's eyes.

"Oh…" Aveline mumbled with a pout but then she shrugged, grinning again as she glanced at the bottle again, "More for me, I guess…"

However, the vault dweller found the bottle snatched out of her hand before she was able to bring it to her lips. She stared at her empty hand with a bewildered expression before she tilted her gaze up towards Desdemona, who now stood barely an inch away from her, the bottle of alcohol in the hands of the auburn haired woman.

"I also think you've had enough for today," the Railroad leader told her, pulling the bottle away from Aveline when she tried to reach for it.

"Come on, Dez. A little more wouldn't hurt me," the blonde spoke as she began to giggle, making another attempt to reach for the bottle again. Desdemona put one hand out to hold her back but Aveline was being quite persistent.

Dez was also additionally worried about the space they were in at the top of the Church's bell tower. Aveline in her careless and drunken idiocy would have them both tumbling down from the top of the rickety old building to their deaths.

"Charmer, enough!" Dez scolded as she pushed away Aveline all the while taking a step backwards towards the ladder.

"Gimme! I just…I need it to forget…"

"Forget what, Charmer?"

"…Everything…"

Dez sighed, her expression softening as she dropped her hands to her sides, unsure of what to say or do. She wasn't a head doctor by any means but it was plainly obvious that Aveline was definitely not in a healthy state of mind.

The Railroad leader should have known that the burden of playing the role of double agent and infiltrating an enemy organization led by one's own family would be enough to cause anyone else to crack. But she had been too focused on results to realize how this might have affected Charmer, having jumped on the opportunity to use the vault dweller as an infiltrator once she learned that Aveline had practically unrestricted access to and fro the Institute.

But it was almost becoming a habit, wasn't it? Using people despite their questionable mental and emotional state because they were too valuable an asset to the Railroad…Tinker Tom, Deacon and Glory came to mind almost immediately.

' _I have a lot to answer for one day, don't I?'_ the self-deprecating thoughts returned in full force but Dez had to come to terms that there was no turning back now, giving her little option but to bear with the guilt and self-loathing within her and bury it beneath steely resolve.

"Give it back!" Aveline demanded, pulling Dez out of her thoughts while her voice had become tense and sharper than a minute ago before once again making another attempt to reclaim the bourbon held by Dez and was once again held back.

"You've already had enough, Charmer!" the auburn haired woman scolded, patience starting to diminish as she tried to figure out how she was going to get the drunken agent down from where they were but Aveline was not deterred. If anything, Dez's reprimand seemed to suddenly infuriate the vault dweller, her drunken and sullen demeanor now becoming downright livid.

"Who the…*hic*…who the fuck are you to take that from me?!" Aveline's voice slowly rose with every word she spoke as she pointed an accusatory finger at Desdemona, her nostrils flaring as a furious gleam sparked from her eyes, "You swallow up every bit of tobacco in this damn church like a fucking human chimney but I can't have a few drinks to myself?!"

"Charmer…"

"My name is Aveline, you stubborn bitch!" she furiously growled through clenched teeth, "And I'll drink whatever I damn well please if it helps me forget that I'm two hundred years into the future in some shithole wasteland and that I've lost my family, my home and all I've known…"

"I've lost everything, Desdemona. Everything. But nothing matters outside the Railroad, does it? What would you know about loss when you don't give a damn about anyone around you?!"

The irate woman could see that she struck a nerve inside Dez as well, if the subtle and sudden twitch of the older woman's eye was anything to go by. _'Good,'_ she thought. Part of her felt that perhaps she was being unreasonable, that this was just the drink talking, but at the same time, she felt justified in the feelings of resentment she was harboring within her.

The kind of feeling she felt towards the Institute for destroying her family and adding salt to the wound by taking her son and twisting him to follow their image, their goals. At Dez, for not trusting her enough and for her willingness to push her away and pretend that nothing ever happened between them. And at herself, for her indecisiveness…for her inability to save the people she once held so dear in her life.

Feeling anger was better than feeling nothing at all.

And the stupid part of her wanted to make Desdemona angry…As angry or hurt as possible…anything to break through that frustrating aloofness that the auburn haired woman resorted to as a means of hiding her true emotions.

"You don't know anything about me, Aveline," Dez retorted, her voice low and her eyes narrowing as she glared at the woman in front of her.

"Yeah, I'm starting to see that now…"

"I'm trying to be as patient as I can be…Don't test me-"

"And what if I do?" Aveline interrupted defiantly. One could almost see the fire flickering in her eyes as her anger and frustration seemed to momentarily sober her up, "You'll what? Send Artemis to deal with me like you did at Bunker Hill?!"

Watching Desdemona visibly deflate in surprise at the accusation spurred Aveline into continuing her tirade, "It doesn't take a genius to know you sent her to keep an eye on me…to eliminate me if you thought I was colluding with the Institute. Wasn't it your idea in the first place for me to 'join' them?"

"And you think I made those decisions lightly?!" Dez snapped back, almost yelled with no sign of hesitation, a fiery rage of her own coursing through her veins that she tried to keep under control, "I was aware of the risks to you! But I also had to account that you could have posed a risk to the Railroad yourself."

If only Aveline could understand what it was like to be in her shoes…Constantly making decisions and judgment calls whose consequences slowly clawed at her from within. Dez would not thrust that burden onto her however, or on anyone for that matter. She was aware that the woman in front of her had lost everything, her entire world and the Railroad leader's personal troubles perhaps paled in comparison.

"And to you, of course," Aveline sarcastically added, "You're always expecting a knife in your back from everyone around you! Is that what you thought every time we…"

' _Talked? Slept? Fucked?'_ She did not know how to put it anymore and she was not exactly in a position to think clearly with all the alcohol clouding her mind. The vault dweller was expecting another shouting match, another excuse from Desdemona but much to her astonishment, she received a bitter chuckle from the Railroad leader instead of an angry retort.

"You don't live long here if you don't expect a knife everywhere, Charmer…And you're right…I am putting my own life at risk as well by relying on you…I've told you before already…it's not that I don't want to trust you. I…I simply can't allow myself to trust anyone for that matter…"

The vault dweller focused her gaze on Desdemona and even in her drunken state she could tell that the mood had changed. The furious indignation behind the eyes of the older woman seemed to have disappeared as quick as it had come, now replaced by a distant and almost empty stare. The Railroad leader took a few steps forward, brushing past Aveline after thrusting the bourbon bottle back to its owner and held on to the railing as she looked out towards the expanse of the river and ruined district before her.

"Attachments…complicate things. More than I can allow."

One could identify the conflicting emotions in Dez's voice as she spoke.

"As its leader, it is my job to keep the Railroad operating at any available capacity," Dez flatly said, her back turned to Aveline, "To ensure the freedom of the synths that want nothing to do with the Institute…as well as making the Institute pay for their crimes… _for everything_ …"

The last part almost sounded like a growl and Aveline noticed that Dez had tightened her grip on the railing, nails digging into the ancient wood.

"These people…and that purpose are all I have. They're all I have to-"

' _-The Railroad is all I have left to give my life meaning. I had nothing left…nothing to live for after Sam died…'_

Desdemona abruptly stopped speaking any further, buried thoughts surfacing to the back of her mind. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, shaking her head lightly in disappointment…at herself mostly.

It shouldn't be this way. Vulnerability was unacceptable. It was a mistake to allow any form of weakness come to light, especially in front of her agents.

Especially, in front of Charmer…

"…Forget I said anything…" Dez's words were barely a mumble even in the silence of night. She let go of the railing and slowly turned her back to the scenery as she made to leave the bell tower. Before crouching down and stepping down the ladder, the Railroad leader took one more look at Aveline and the blonde noticed that the older woman had reverted back to her stern, no-nonsense demeanor.

"Unless you plan on sleeping off your hangover up here, you're to come down to HQ. You and I have a lot to discuss but we're not going to get anywhere in the state you're in," Desdemona ordered and continued on to cut off any retorts from Aveline, "I'm not arguing this any further. I'll give you my bed if I have to but the next time we talk, I want you sober. And that's an order."

The Railroad leader hurriedly disappeared down the hatch, leaving Aveline behind with nothing but her unfinished drink and flurried emotions. Her mind fluctuating between anger, sadness, curiosity, mild confusion and eventually settled on reluctant acceptance. While the alcohol muddled her mind and made her severely moody, it did nothing for the aches she felt throughout her body; especially in her feet and legs from all the walking, crouching, and running she did all day.

A bed definitely sounded like a good idea…

…

" _You're gonna knock 'em dead tonight at the Veteran's Hall tonight honey…"_

Aveline could hear her own voice even though her lips did not move. She tried to open her eyes but they remained shut despite her efforts, forcing her to remain in darkness as more ghostly voices began to surround her.

" _I'm not giving you Shaun!"_

" _You don't need to worry about your kid. He's safe where he is now…In the Institute."_

" _The Institute is now your home as it is mine…Mother."_

" _What we had between us, Charmer…I think we need to call it off for the time being."_

Her head hurt enough with the hangover she had been enduring throughout the night and Aveline wanted nothing more than for the voices to go away before the pain got worse…in more ways than one.

She couldn't see, tossing, turning, and flailing around in hopes of reaching out towards something, anything that would wake her…anything that would keep her anchored in a more lucid and stable state of mind.

"Charmer!"

Aveline could hear someone calling out to her but her jumbled thoughts barely made an effort to identify whoever that voice belonged to.

"Hey! Wake up, Charmer!"

The vault dweller struggled to open her eyes and do as the voice said but when she felt a hand on her shoulder, she lashed out on instinct, thinking that the stranger planned on harming her, as one of her fists connected with something…or someone if the slight grunt of pain was anything to go by.

At this point, Aveline had woken up with a jolt, eyes wide as she took deep breaths. Her knuckles hurt from whatever she hit and soothed them for a moment before reaching up to rub her eyes and take a better look at her surroundings instead. It took her a few moments to recognize that the room she was actually in was Desdemona's private quarters.

Desdemona, however, was nowhere in sight.

"…You hit pretty hard for a pipsqueak."

Aveline turned slightly and when she caught a glimpse of the dark skinned woman sitting on the floor next to the bed, her eyes widened further like saucers, almost threatening to jump out of their sockets.

"Shit!" Aveline cursed, burying her face in both hands and massaging her forehead in hopes that it would make the throbbing pain of the coming headache go away, "I'm…I'm so sorry, Glory."

Glory, on the other hand, seemed to hold no ill feelings and quickly picked herself up from the floor as if nothing had happened. Her lips had twitched into a wide smirk, like this was all amusing even though one of her hands was busy wiping some of the blood that dripped from her nostrils.

"Relax, Charmer. I've taken worse hits than that," Glory said as she wiped her nose on the sleeve of her armored coat. "It's nothing that the doc can't fix," she added when she saw that Aveline continued to look at her worriedly.

"How…did I get here?"

"Dez had me drag your drunken sorry ass into HQ since you thought that taking a nap outside our door was a good idea. Made me come here to keep an eye on you every few minutes," she explained while she casually sat down by the small table in the boss' room, propping her feet up on the surface of the worn furniture as she glanced at the hungover blonde.

"Gotta say…I'm proud of you…and disappointed in you at the same time."

"Huh?" the vault dweller mumbled, wondering if she was going to get a lecture from the silver haired heavy as well when she still wasn't done shaking off whatever was left of her drunken stupor.

"I'm proud that you finally learned how to throw a decent punch. But I'm disappointed that you can't hold your liquor. From what Dez told me about you when she stayed at Sanctuary, I thought you were a natural when it came to drinking."

Aveline let out a breath she had been holding in that moment and scoffed at the idea that she was expecting anything different from Glory. She would be the last person in the wasteland who would ever scold or lecture her, or anyone for that matter, on anything.

"You really have skewed priorities, you know that?" Aveline responded, chuckling with relief, "That time was different. I only had a few shots…" her voice trailed off before she threw a questioning look at Glory, "Wait…Sanctuary? Dez talked to you about-" Her momentary relief gave way to a tinge of dread and embarrassment that started to creep within her.

"Not everything. Just that you both had a few drinks while Tom turned his 'batshit insane' meter up to eleven to finish up that…relay or whatever the fuck it's called. But it doesn't take a genius to know that you two did more than just sit on your asses while he worked."

"I…uh…I really don't know what you're talking about…"

"Charmer, everyone here knows that you and the boss have been screwing each other for a while now. Artemis even had a betting pool on it and we all know she only places bets when she knows she's gonna win."

"…Oh God…" Aveline shyly muttered, her face red with embarrassment that she promptly covered with her hands as she heard Glory's gleeful cackle.

"Yeah, I imagined that would be something you both say."

"You're incorrigible," the blonde remarked as she moved her hands away from her face to give the synth woman a pointed glare.

"Maybe I am…" Glory let her voice trail off before her amused expression turned a bit more serious, almost apologetic. "Sorry if I made you uncomfortable, Charms. You and Dez look like you've hit a rough patch lately."

It was awkward enough that Glory, Artemis and everyone else apparently figured out about the slightly clandestine relationship between her and the Railroad's leader. The last thing Aveline wanted was to openly discuss with others about the conflicting emotions and trust issues that was putting their personal, and perhaps their professional, relationship in great jeopardy.

"Glory, that's something I don't want to talk about," Aveline stated bluntly.

"I'm not asking you to," Glory responded, her voice sounding somewhat gentle and sympathetic than the usual.

It was a strange and extremely rare sight to see a softer side of the Railroad heavy, considering her boisterous, and sometimes crass, personality. The only other time Aveline could remember seeing Glory in a different light was when they worked together at Malden…the somber look on the heavy's face when she realized that they had no choice but to fight the Institute synths that had taken up residence there.

"Not my place to say what you ladies can or can't do…" she continued, lips twitching into a small grin, "Besides, I'm shit at giving relationship advice."

"Apart from 'Angry sex is the best kind of sex', right?" Aveline teased, the awkwardness and discomfort she had been feeling minutes ago gradually dissipating as she settled into her banter with Glory.

"Hey, you can't prove me otherwise!" Glory said, laughing along with the other woman when she burst into a brief fit of giggles. As they both settled down, Glory opened her mouth to speak once again, seriousness overtaking her features once again.

"Dez'll be here in a few minutes and once she sees that you're awake, she's going to want to hear your side of the story about Bunker Hill," the Railroad agent reminded her.

"Of course she does…" Aveline rolled her eyes as she spoke, voice dripping with harsh sarcasm, "Wonder what she's going to complain about now? I'm sure she's just going to tell me that she still can't trust me even after I tried to stop the courser from taking the runaways…"

"Well, she wants to hear from you since you're working from inside the Institute," Glory suggested, shrugging when Aveline glared at her, "Look, no one's denying the boss has some serious trust issues at times but she's just looking out for us in her own way. Nobody ever said it was the best or most convenient way of doing things but that's just Railroad life for you."

"But…as far as I'm concerned though, you're good in my book. You could have stabbed us in the back during that fight, taken those synths right back to the Institute even with Artemis on your tail and left us to die…But you didn't…" Her smile widened and one could almost see a glimmer of hope in the synthetic woman's eyes, "Those guys are up at Ticon for now and hopefully they'll get their chance at living an Institute-free life soon…"

Aveline watched as Glory paused, wondering if her fellow agent had felt like she had spoken too much. Glory was rarely open to sharing whatever was on her mind, being a firm believer of actions speaking louder than words. After taking a deep breath, she continued.

"I'm not good at this sort of thing but I guess what I'm trying to say is that we owe you, Charmer, whether anyone here admits it or not…and from me personally, I can trust you to have our back."

Aveline stared at Glory, slightly speechless and was only able to offer a small smile of relief and gratitude in return. With Desdemona keeping her distance and the disappointment she had endured after Shaun's dismissal of the surface world and seeing his self-absorbed mindset for herself, it was a warming feeling to find friends who were willing to support her…To steer her away from her breaking point as best they could.

Especially when she received trust from the person she least expected it from.

"Thanks, Glory. It means a lot to me…" the vault dweller stopped for a moment, jaw tightening before her lips twitched downwards into a frown, "Wish I could hear the same from Dez…"

"She'll come around…eventually," Glory tried to reassure her fellow agent even though she muttered the last part like she was skeptical about it herself, "Dez…she's…complicated sometimes. I can't say what goes on through the boss' head but she's got a lot weighing her down. Having to make the tough calls and deal with all the shit that comes with it…That's her job…Not a lot of people could handle that kind of pressure."

There was more that Glory wanted to say, a few more things that she knew about Desdemona than she was letting on, especially when a not too distant memory suddenly came to her mind. But she decided against it and pushed her thoughts aside. She did not want to stick her nose in their business any more than what was necessary.

"I suppose you're right," Aveline reluctantly accepted that the other woman made a fair point. She had been mired in her own troubles and frustrations that she had not been able to put much thought at how the Railroad leader had been coping with recent events. Did she only care for results? Or was there something more to her, an unease and uncertainty that their leader tried to hide from everyone else.

To be honest, she had not put much thought in it all until she remembered the distant look on Desdemona's eyes the previous night, "I just wish she would talk to me…"

"Yeah…good luck with that," Glory responded as she lifted her feet off the table and planted them firmly onto the dusty ground, "Dez really isn't in the business of sharing her life story with anyone. None of us really know much about her. Except Deacon maybe…but he sure as hell ain't gonna tell anyone…Not unless he wants his balls nailed to a wall with a railway spike."

That got a small laugh out of Aveline but it was cut short with the sound of the door creaking as the familiar stern visage and auburn curls of their leader came into view.

"Am I interrupting anything?" Desdemona asked, not in annoyance but not in amusement either, just that ever flat and neutral tone of hers that she used to keep things professional between her agents.

Aveline didn't say anything at first, so Glory instead responded in her stead, "Not at all, Dez. I was just about done checking up on Charmer like you asked. Since she seems fine, I'll be heading back into HQ now."

"…I think that would be for the best," Dez said, shooting a quick glance to Charmer before quickly bringing her attention back towards the heavy, "Another thing, Glory…"

"Yeah, Dez?"

"Anyone else comes in for the time being, they answer either to you or to Carrington. I want no interruptions for the next hour…And while you're at it, get the doctor to fix your nose a bit."

"Sure thing, boss," Glory acknowledged as she stood up from the chair she had been sitting on and stretched her limbs out, "Later Charms. Keep practicing your punches and maybe I'll offer to spar with ya one day."

"I'm really sorry about that, Glory!" Aveline called out to the heavy as Glory left the room, shutting the door behind her to allow the privacy that Desdemona wanted that moment. The air within Desdemona's quarters suddenly felt tense, almost uncomfortable and Aveline shifted a little uneasily under the pointed gaze of the Railroad leader.

"Sleep well enough?" Dez asked, the light tone of her voice contrasting the stiff, almost commanding posture she held herself in.

"A little, I guess…" Aveline meekly responded, "Got a bit restless in my sleep…I may have punched Glory by accident when she tried to wake me."

"I see…" Desdemona gave no further response as she took the chair Glory had been sitting on just a moment ago. An exhausted sigh escaped her lips as she sat down and Aveline could now clearly notice that the Railroad Alpha was a little worse for wear than she was a few days ago. She took note of the dark circles around Dez's eyes have becoming even more profound, the way she began to fidget as she rubbed her hands together and how she looked slightly thinner than the past week.

Aveline could almost sense that Desdemona was equally unenthusiastic as her about whatever topics they were about to discuss.

' _Well, I did kind of curse her out…to the point that she was acting kind of weird…'_

She almost felt guilty about her drunken rant towards the woman sitting in front of her…almost.

"You know why I'm here, Charmer," Desdemona began to speak while Aveline tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, groaning inwardly at the conversation she knew was coming and couldn't escape from, "And I'd rather we get this out of the way before we move on to other things…"


	16. Chapter 16: Love and Fear

_A/N: After months of this story being on hiatus, I'm finally back with a much needed and deserved update. I had most of it done for a long while but I just found myself unable to finish and left it collecting proverbial dust until recently. My work life has occupied most of my time and I found myself simply unable to keep up with my stories. It hasn't been easy but I'm not giving up on this story any time soon. I can't promise frequent updates but they will keep coming. Anyways, enjoy this latest chapter._

 _Also, slight NSFW ahead._

…

" _Four hundred and ninety-six. Four hundred and ninety-seven."_

Being deep underground made it difficult to tell the time of the day but Artemis had already gotten used to it, having been a part of the Institute as well as staying below ground within the Railroad's Switchboard and Old North Church headquarters. She wasn't sure about the exact hour within the bunker that used to be 'The Mechanist's Lair' and it really didn't matter much to her. All that mattered was that she was going to use her brief moment of respite as best she could.

" _Four hundred and ninety-eight."_

Isabel had woken up long before the Huntress, immediately donning her usual mechanic jumpsuit before heading straight for the robot workstations, leaving Artemis to continue slumbering in peace.

Granted, synths really didn't need to sleep other than to keep up appearances of being human but the woman did find it relaxing to 'shut down' in a manner of speaking, pushing away recurring thoughts and the stress she usually endured day by day. The Huntress found that she seemed to cater to the idea of sleep even more when she had someone to share it with.

" _Four hundred and ninety-nine."_

And as per her routine, Artemis usually followed sleep with a bit of vigorous training. It was another way to release any lingering stress from her work as a Railroad Heavy. To her, it was a way to strengthen both her mind and body, maintaining herself to be combat ready for any and all situations that would involve her or her colleagues. Her exercise sessions also served to reassure the former Institute courser of her independence from her old masters.

However, she had no one to spar with here unlike the HQ, where Glory was always more than ready and willing to throw a few punches with her fellow synth.

Isabel had offered to set up a few practice automatons on various occasions when her girlfriend would stop by but preprogrammed robots made for a poor and predictable training session (Artemis was very careful not to say that word for word when she rejected Isabel's offer out of concern that she would wound the young mechanic's pride). Instead, she set up a small, personal 'gym' in their bedroom where she could exercise to her heart's content.

" _Five hundred."_

Artemis let out a deep breath as she finished her morning crunches, relaxing and hanging freely upside-down from the pull-up bar she was clinging to, keeping her legs locked around the metal beam.

Around that same moment, the door to the bedroom opened and Artemis laid eyes on Isabel stepping through the doorway. Her gaze at first landed on Isabel's mechanic jumpsuit, covered in more dirt smudges and oil stains than she could count, evidence that the young woman had been hard at work the entire morning. She then looked up to meet brown eyes filled with loving warmth as Isabel returned the synthetic woman's gaze.

"Hey there," Isabel greeted, shooting a curious glance at her synth lover who was suspended upside down on the pull-up bar, trying her best to not pay too much attention to Artemis' fit form or how the agent's whole body was covered in a thin sheen of sweat.

She shook out her hair before bending down to untie her boots. After that, her fingers reached for the zipper of her jumpsuit and began pulling it down, "Why are you hanging there like one of those prewar monkeys?"

"Just keeping this body the way you like it, babe" the Huntress teased, chuckling when she saw the flustered blush spreading across her girlfriend's cheeks. Her laughter died in her throat however when Isabel peeled her jumpsuit off and kicked it away from her ankles. The temperature in the Commonwealth had been steadily rising since the past week and it was evidenced by Isabel's choice of clothes under the usual mechanic attire, a sleeveless tank top that left her upper torso exposed from the sides and a pair of cut-off denim shorts.

"Someone's been working all morning again," Artemis said, reaching up to grab the bar and letting her feet fall to the floor. She wasted no time in getting close to Isabel, wrapping an arm around the slim woman's waist and gingerly pulling her flush against her before silencing the mechanic's surprised gasp with a tender kiss.

"You alright, Isabel?" the Huntress inquired after their lips parted from each other, noticing how the young woman's eyes seemed to droop, though it was unknown to the synthetic woman if it was because Isabel was swooning over their kiss or if she was really exhausted.

"I'm fine…Just a little tired," Isabel tried to assure Artemis even though the truth was hat 'tired' was an understatement. She yawned, gently resting her head against the crook of the synthetic woman's neck before mumbling, "Someone needs to tell Aveline and the Minutemen that they have a very skewed definition of the term 'community service'. I'm pretty sure it doesn't involve building combat grade robots around the clock."

"Well…that's wasteland community service for you, brought to you by the Minutemen," Artemis shot back as she reached up and ruffled Isabel's hair, "You're lucky they didn't give you a worse punishment than that."

It wasn't too long ago that the speaking of the whole Mechanist ordeal was a sore topic of conversation for Isabel. The young woman had been (and still was) trying to cope with the frustration and the guilt of her failures…The realization that her work born out of best intentions ended up doing more harm than good when she learned that her robots were injuring or killing the very people they were supposed to protect.

Because of that, they became another problem the Minutemen had to deal with in their quest to pacify the Commonwealth to the best of their ability and they were understandably not too happy with her actions. With some intervention from Artemis however, Aveline and Preston gave her a more lenient punishment while reasoning against any demands for a harsher penalty from various angry settlers and Minutemen who had been affected by the constant robot attacks.

At least now Artemis could make some light-hearted jests about the whole thing from time to time, trying to find some humor whenever she was able to set Isabel's mind at ease a little, get her to focus on the here and now rather than let her brood over her failure. She was far too young to lock herself away and develop feelings of inferiority and self-hatred. And Artemis found Isabel's willingness to not only recognize her mistakes but to do everything within her capabilities to fix the situation as best she could to be somewhat admirable. It was a lot more than what was typically expected from most wastelanders.

"It's all thanks to you, you know," Isabel softly spoke, a gentle smile tugging at her lips, "You did stick up for me during that time."

"What can I say? I couldn't let Aveline hurt a pretty face like yours."

"Liar. I'm far from pretty."

"You're right. You're not pretty. You're goddamn gorgeous is what you are."

Isabel blushed and took a step back. Her eyes locked with the Huntress' momentarily before her gaze started roaming all over her body, admiring the fit and shapely form of the synthetic woman. The way her black and red workout shorts clung tightly to her thighs like a second skin. Her exposed midriff that exhibited her toned abs, a result from her constant training and dances with danger. The beads of sweat clinging to the Huntress' body…

Isabel's eyes followed one such droplet as it trailed down Artemis' neck, her collarbone and she gulped when she saw it disappear between the Huntress' bountiful breasts confined within the sports bra she wore.

"Hey! Eyes up here, Izzy," the Huntress playfully scolded as she placed a finger under Isabel's chin, tilting her head upwards until their gazes connected once again. Isabel blushed madly as Artemis' loving gaze bore into her and she couldn't help the goosebumps beneath her skin as she felt Artemis hands gingerly cup her face. The young woman could only watch with a mesmerized look in her eyes as her lover slowly leaned downwards. She shut her eyelids, puckering her lips for a welcoming kiss.

"Actually, I think I could use a relaxing shower right now," Artemis said, suddenly pulling away with a wide smirk on her lips as Isabel stared at her with a dumbfounded look, "Don't you think so too, my darling?"

The young woman let out a frustrated groan, refusing to respond as she turned her back on Artemis with her arms crossed and a humorously petulant look on her face.

"Oh, Izzy," the Huntress whined, "Sweetie, don't be like that," she pleaded, her arms wrapping around the smaller woman's waist as she leaned in and planted a kiss on her cheek. Isabel did her best to hold back the smile that almost spread and stifle the laugh that tried to escape her lips as she turned to look at Artemis.

Even with her unnatural eyes, the Huntress somehow pulled a sad puppy look on her face and the former Mechanist could not keep quiet for any longer, a small chuckle vibrating through her as she flashed a warm smile at her lover.

"Okay, okay, I'll do it! Stop looking at me like that already!" Isabel playfully scolded before her hands moved to cup the synthetic woman's face, leaning in to press a quick chaste kiss on her lips. She gently pushed Artemis away and turned to head out of the room to find something else to occupy her time with. However, before she could take a step, Isabel felt a sudden and firm grip on her wrist and before she knew it, she was yanked back into Artemis' arms, barely able to suck in a breath as the red eyed synth's lips crashed against hers.

This was not like the previous kisses they had shared before, tender and chaste. This contact was hungrier, almost primal. An addiction they shared that has been slowly but surely consuming both women with gentle kisses and stolen glances and now they couldn't help but indulge in each other's scent…their taste, now that they had one another at this very moment and plenty of time to go with it.

This was a kind of territory that was still greatly uncharted for Isabel but she couldn't bring herself to object or resist, instead surrender herself to Artemis' ministrations, parting her lips to allow the synth woman's tongue to slide in.

The heavy make-out session continued uninterrupted, even as the Huntress slowly backed the young mechanic until she was sandwiched between her lover and a wall. Hands began exploring each other's bodies; Isabel's traveling up Artemis's toned arms and resting on the redhead's shoulders while the agent's hands rested on the small of the former Mechanist's back before slowly drifting down and gripping her rear. Artemis' lips stifled the petite woman's gasp of surprise and she could feel Isabel smile into the kiss afterwards as she raised one of her slender legs up towards the taller woman's waist.

Artemis did not let up on the kiss as she hooked one arm around Isabel's leg while her free hand let go of the smaller woman's buttocks, moving back around and in between them before sliding down the waistband of Isabel's shorts.

The former Mechanist's breath hitched, throwing her head back as she felt her lover's fingers graze her down there over the thin fabric of her underwear. She keened and her eyes slid shut as she felt Artemis run her fingers a second time while putting a little more pressure in between her legs.

Isabel felt goosebumps prickle across her skin which became even more heated at the continued contact. A loud groan tumbled from her lips as she felt the beginning of slickness between her thighs. Just as she was slowly getting into it, Artemis suddenly pulled away.

Isabel immediately felt cold and hungry for the touch of her lover and she opened her eyes to see what might have happened. Though her vision was still slightly hazy, Isabel was able to clearly see Artemis still standing before her but the redhead's expression was quite different from minutes before. Where before she bore love with a slight hint of smugness to go with her teasing, Artemis was now simply staring back at Isabel with her brows knit in concern and though the synth was biting her own lip with pearly white teeth, the action seemed more a result of nervousness instead of lust.

"Why'd you stop? What's wrong, Artemis?" she asked. She grew worried as no words came from the other woman, the only reaction given was Artemis reaching up to rub at the back of her neck and her gaze switching between the mechanic and the floor.

"I…Was I going too fast?" the Huntress asked and when no immediate response came from Isabel, she continued, looking slightly more crestfallen, "I was going too fast with you, wasn't I? I shouldn't have forced myself on you like that…"

As the last of the lustful haze clouding her brain was gone, only then was Isabel able to play catch up with what Artemis meant.

"Oh…you mean when you…when you touched me…No! N-No…" Isabel stammered a little as the whole situation seemed to be getting a tiny bit awkward, "No…You…You were doing fine. I just got surprised, is all…"

She noticed that she still didn't seem to get through Artemis in that instant. Instead, she opted to take a step forward towards her lover and she lifted a hand to gingerly caress the synthetic woman's cheek. The mechanic felt some amount of relief when she felt the redhead lean into her touch instead of pulling away.

"I…It felt good, Artemis," Isabel assured her, her eyes meeting Artemis' when the synth woman turned her head slightly to focus her gaze on the smaller woman, "It was sudden…But it felt good."

"I thought I hurt you there for a moment…"

It was surprising to see how vulnerable the Huntress seemed to be when she felt concern over her but it was still heartwarming all the same. Isabel realized now how lucky she was to have this marvelous woman look out for her safety in everything…How Artemis always put the concerns of those closest to her before her own needs and desires.

The next words flew right out of her mouth without so much as a second thought, "I want this…I want you."

Artemis looked up to face her human lover, slightly disbelieving what she just heard. But she found Isabel staring back at her, flushed and shy but her eyes gleamed with love and want. Disbelief returned to concern once more, wondering if Isabel truly desired to take the next step in their relationship, whether it was now or later on in the near future. The Huntress already had some experience with intimacy before but the same could not be said for the young, secluded mechanic.

"Are you sure about that, Isabel?" Artemis asked, the teasing and cocky tone that laced her voice a few moments ago replaced by a curious and serious one. Though she did well to maintain her composure on the outside, her heart hammered away within with worried anticipation and her brain felt like it was about to short circuit, overthinking on the ways this relationship could go wrong or all the ways she could end up hurting the former Mechanist. Willingly fighting the Institute would have been enough of a red flag to ward off the idea of commitment to potential lovers.

But Isabel seemed not so easily deterred anymore. Despite her flustered nervousness, the young woman managed to smile the biggest and most convincing smile she could muster.

"Definitely," Isabel responded and Artemis could feel her heart practically burst with joy, even if it was just for this one moment, "I know you're kinda worried about all this…I'm a bit nervous too, you know…Worried about how I'm going to mess this up…"

"You're not going to mess anything up, Izzy," Artemis assured, placing her hands on her lover's shoulders as a sign of comfort. Her heart sank a little when she noticed that Isabel's comforting smile fell into one of self-deprecation.

"I tried saving the Commonwealth and look at how that turned out," she murmured dejectedly.

"You took on a burden far too great than any 19 year old could handle. Mistakes were guaranteed to happen…" Artemis said. Now it was her turn to comfort the other woman, "But you wanted to make a difference, which is more than what I expect from anyone out here in the wastes. And we know…people ended up hurt and killed…But in the end, you acknowledged your mistakes and worked to fix it as best you can. It's not going to bring back the people that were murdered by those Robobrains but at least you didn't try to sweep the whole thing under the rug or considered the collateral damage acceptable like some others would have…"

"Besides, that's different compared to the real issue at hand…" Artemis trailed off as she lifted her hands to cup Isabel's face between them, "I just don't want to end up hurting you by overstepping my boundaries…I…" The Huntress felt like her words suddenly became a jumbled mess, frustrating the usually self-assured agent. But it was now or never as she would soon have to return to the Railroad, return to carry on the fight against the Institute and the Brotherhood…a fight where there was always a chance that she would never come back from…

"I like you, Isabel…No, more than that…I love you…Is it too soon to say I love you? I mean, we've only been together for like two months, so I hope I'm not coming off as creepy or…"

Isabel's mood changed for the better as she witnessed Artemis unknowingly back away as she kept on rambling and her lips were starting to form into a toothy grin.

Artemis stopped pacing when she felt someone grab a hold of her arms and she turned to look down at Isabel, whose bright smile and twinkling eyes was making her feel things she would deem a bit inappropriate.

"Easy there, sweetie. I don't want you to literally blow a fuse with all that walking and talking," Isabel spoke soothingly and when Artemis seemed about to respond, she stood up on her tiptoes and pressed her lips against Artemis' in a brief and gentle kiss.

"One: I love you too, you idiot. Two: I don't want someone else or someone 'better'…I want you. Three: We both have issues, so how about we deal with them together? Now, is that good enough or do I have to cop a feel on you to get the message through?"

Artemis stood there speechless, a complete loss for words at both Isabel's sudden boldness and the fact that the young woman made a fair point. Isabel on the other hand, went completely red once again when she realized the last sentence that tumbled out of her mouth and buried her face into the crook of her girlfriend's neck as Artemis began to giggle.

"I heard you loud and clear…And I believe you," Artemis responded soothingly as she gingerly embraced Isabel, careful enough as to not aggravate the wound the former Mechanist was still recovering from, "But I wouldn't mind the fondling either."

"Ugh, you're terrible."

"I know…And I know you love me that way," Artemis cooed as she raised a finger and booped her girlfriend on the nose. She smiled a wry, mischievous smile as she walked past Isabel and gently grabbed her by her hand. The mechanic found herself following the unspoken command as she let herself be tugged along.

"Uh, where are you taking me?" Isabel asked, trying not to think too much on her suspicion that Artemis was guiding her towards the bathroom and less on the things that her girlfriend would want her there for.

"I did say I could use a shower," the agent said, glancing over her shoulder at Isabel and delivering a wink that almost made the smaller woman's knees turn to jelly, "And I think you could use one too…So, if you're up for it, how about-"

"Oh yes."

Without another word, Isabel shoved Artemis right into the washroom and rushed in, shutting the door and locking it behind her.

It was going to be a moment they would never forget any time soon.

…

"What else do you want me to say about Bunker Hill?"

Aveline had tersely responded as she continued to shake off the sleep and exhaustion of whatever antics she was not entirely certain she had done the previous night other than attempting to drown her sorrows in liquor the day before, "Glory and Artemis should have already told you all the details by now…"

Not only have both Railroad heavies already reported in on the results of the battle but Aveline was quite certain that Dez's ears were probably glued to the radio the entire time. What more the Railroad leader wanted to hear besides that was beyond her.

"They did…and they also mentioned that you were quick to leave the scene as soon as the fighting was over," Desdemona calmly pointed out, "So I'm assuming you returned to the Institute to issue a report?"

A brief pause followed before the agent responded, "…Yeah…something like that. Not to the Institute though…to Sh- the Director…He was waiting for me in person at the C.I.T. Ruins."

"…And?"

After inhaling a deep breath, Aveline began to recount everything she could about her brief stay in the Institute, or at least the details she believed would matter to Dez. The mission to Bunker Hill, meeting the courser assigned to guard over her as she infiltrated the settlement using the fighting as a cover, and the meeting with Shaun a top of the old C.I.T. building. She avoided telling Dez about the more personal aspects of the conversation between her and Shaun, so instead she elaborated on how the mission was more about getting her to win the trust of the Institute's Board of Directors than just a simple case of recovering 'stolen property' and Shaun being tight lipped about the Brotherhood's involvement out of concern that she would have turned down the mission.

Through it all, Desdemona remained silent; one leg crossed over the other and chin resting against entwined fingers while dedicating her full attention to listening to Aveline's side of the story.

"He didn't take the news of the loss very well but so far it looks like I'm still in Shaun's good graces. On the other hand, the rest of the Directorate won't be lining up to be my friend anytime soon," she concluded before adding, "…Though I've been invited to the next board meeting where he hopes to convince the others to put Bunker Hill behind them and move on to his next plans."

"A board meeting?" Desdemona raised an eyebrow as she relaxed in her chair, "Definitely sounds important…When is it?"

"By the end of the week. 6 days from now, give or take," Aveline responded, "My son hasn't told me much but he assures me that he plans on discussing a few points that will ensure the future of the Institute."

' _Jackpot.'_

Perhaps this meeting was the next big break Desdemona and the Railroad needed after successfully finding someone who could infiltrate the Institute. This would perhaps be the perfect opportunity for their inside agent to gather more information on their enemy…To learn of what the Institute might have in store for the Commonwealth to make up for their setback at Bunker Hill.

However, there was one more issue to address that Aveline would need to take care of on her next visit to the Institute.

"The fact that the rest of the Institute's leaders don't trust you will be an obstacle in itself, regardless if the Director vouches for you or not," Dez curtly stated, "This meeting might be the only chance you're getting to dig deeper into their mindset, maybe dissuade some of their suspicions and mistrust, if only to buy us and the rebel synths more time…Speaking of which, how goes Z1-14's preparations?"

"He's got a few people ready to follow his lead but it's still not enough to stage an uprising on the Institute….even with our help," Aveline explained, watching Dez carefully as the other woman nodded as a gesture for her to continue, "Apart from making sure they're not raising suspicion, their biggest concern is getting supplies. The synths are unarmed and have no way to acquire weapons without the Institute finding out about it. The shops and armories inside are under surveillance 24/7…and stealing equipment from the SRB would be a _really_ bad idea."

"Shit…" Desdemona cursed under her breath, fingers reaching up to pinch the bridge of her nose as she tried to think of something but realized that their options were severely limited at the moment, "I knew this would eventually be a cause for concern but I didn't think it would be so soon. We don't have much in the way of weapons to be giving them out freely. Even if we did…Gauss Rifles aren't exactly subtle or easy-to-hide armaments."

"I could gather some guns from the Minutemen," Aveline suggested, "Last I was at the Castle, the armory was well stocked with plenty of stuff that would be more useful and easier to hide and carry." She didn't miss how Dez's face twisted into a disapproving scowl the moment she mentioned the Minutemen. Despite everything, it seemed that the Railroad leader was still not privy to the idea of working together with them, despite the advantages that would be in her favor.

"I would rather we not involve the Minutemen in our endeavors," Desdemona began with a stern tone to her voice, "This is a Railroad matter-"

"Yeah, yeah, this is the Railroad's fight and no one else's but I think we're past that after the shitshow that was Bunker Hill," Aveline interrupted in exasperated fashion, ignoring the glare from the other woman as she continued on, "Look Dez, it's either that or I hunt down a Raider or Gunner group to take out and scavenge their equipment. I really have no problem with either but I was planning to pay the Castle a visit while I have time. I owe Preston some answers as to why I haven't shown myself in over a month and I would have dropped two birds with one stone right then and there."

They both stared at each other in brief silence, waiting to see who would be the first to back down from this current impasse. Surprisingly, Desdemona would be the one to give ground almost immediately, a tired sigh escaping her lips before she spoke.

"I am really not in the mood to start an argument over this. Do what you wish then, Charmer. You're free to handle Z1's dilemma and any other situations involving him that would arise in the near future as you see fit…just as long as you don't put our operations in jeopardy."

"Alright, Dez. You can trust me to take care of it," Aveline assured her, earning temporary silence and a hard stare from the older woman in front of her.

"…We'll see about that," was all Dez said as she got up from her seat and made to leave the room.

"I mean it, Dez. I'm committed to this whether you believe me or not," Aveline blurted all of a sudden as she got up from the bed and stood a few inches away from Desdemona, whose hand was already reaching for the door.

She wondered why she was trying to confront Desdemona again. Just like the other woman said a moment ago, Aveline as well was tired of the constant arguments but she was also tired of being seen as a potential enemy by the woman who was supposed to be in her corner.

"I'm committed to helping the synths and bringing the Institute to justice…To make them answer for all of their wrongdoings…"

Aveline watched as Desdemona paused her movements, her fingers already skimming the door handle. Besides letting her hand drop from the handle, the Railroad leader stood stiffly and the vault dweller wondered what was going on through the older woman's head. She was almost expecting a retort, a cynical rebuttal of sorts, but when Dez spoke again, her voice took on a softer, less authoritarian tone than what anyone else was used to.

"…If you're committed to helping us, then you know there will be no going back…You won't be able to avoid fighting your-"

"My family's gone."

Desdemona slowly turned around at Aveline's sudden declaration and almost wished she hadn't done so when she caught the glazed, unfocused look in the vault dweller's eyes. No matter how much or hard she tried to push down any feelings of attachment towards the blonde woman, the Railroad leader always found herself quietly concerned about Aveline's well-being.

 _Worried about her safety, are we? Even though you were more than ready to have her killed if she presented a danger to you? My dear, you are quite the hypocrite…_

 _Be quiet!_

 _Do you truly care about her? Or are you simply worried that if anything happens to your precious vault dweller, your so-called 'secret weapon', your only chance at vengeance against the Institute goes up in flames?_

 _Enough!_

"Since the day that the Institute infiltrated the vault, they destroyed my family by killing my husband and taking my infant son."

Desdemona chose not to interrupt…to demand that Aveline snap out of it. Instead, she decided to allow the survivor of Vault 111 the opportunity to vent everything that seemed to plague her thoughts…An opportunity that no one had given the prewar woman because they were too busy asking her to solve their problems or because Aveline had decided to keep her true worries and emotions locked away as to not bring down the spirits of those who have grown close to her.

An opportunity that Desdemona herself had never been given in all the years since becoming leader of the Railroad.

…Because it was a sin for the Railroad Alpha to feel anything other than fearlessness and determination.

"They raised him…away from parents who would have loved him and nurtured him…away from anyone who would have shown him some human decency. The Institute took Shaun and instilled in him some maddening and delusional ambition of creating a world where humanity would thrive…But in reality, it's a world where only the Institute would thrive and anyone outside of it, human or not, would be left to rot away at their mercy."

Desdemona sat quietly as she observed Aveline begin to pace back and forth around her room, the survivor's lips twisting into a mirthless smile as she continued air out her frustrations and disappointments into the open,

"Oh and that's not even the best part…" A small, manic laugh escaped her before she continued to speak, "Do you know how I got out of Vault 111? It turns out that I didn't get out of the cryopod through sheer coincidence or dumb luck…Shaun was the one who had me released from the pod," Dez raised her eyebrows upon hearing this as the woman continued to elaborate further on that particular circumstance, "I don't know how but the Institute must have had some control of the vault…And he had me released because 'there was no reason to keep me there any longer', like I'm some pet to be studied...Because he was curious to see how things would go for me…If I could survive or if I ended up dead or corrupted or whatever other fucking hypothesis crossed his mind!"

The Railroad leader watched as Aveline slowly dragged herself towards the table, the vault dweller slumping down into the chair opposite of where Dez was sitting with a complete lack of energy as she covered her face with her hands for a brief moment before dragging them down again. Dez could only describe the expression Aveline wore as one of uncertainty, of borderline hopelessness and defeat…the face of someone who was struggling to decide where to go from here and what to do after this is all over.

 _You two are more alike than you would ever dare to admit and that is what scares you the most, doesn't it?_

"I'm supposed to be his mother but all this time I was nothing but a glorified guinea pig for another one of his social experiments…And now? I'm nothing but a replacement for Kellogg. A replacement for that tool who did the Institute's dirty work so the blood of the people they've ordered to be hurt or killed didn't stain their precious lab coats."

"Were you expecting anything else from the Institute?" Desdemona asked, the question laced with a hint of cynicism as she believed it should have been obvious to the vault dweller by now that there were no lows that the Institute wouldn't stoop down to just to get what they wanted.

"I wasn't expecting _that_ from Shaun…" Aveline snapped back, "…As much as I wasn't expecting him to be an old man who has fully embraced the Institute's methods and ideals…I had hoped that things would have turned out differently…"

Aveline's voice trailed off as she lacked the energy to even talk anymore. She was tired of facing her new reality. She believed she had everything figured out and that she would get the closest thing to a happy ending. But then she infiltrated the Institute and realized that everything was not as it seemed….And her hopes have been ruined because of the truth.

She did not wish to hurt Shaun. There was still the motherly part of her begging, screaming at her to do everything she could to make her son see reason, to steer him away from the destructive path he had chosen. Even to forsake everything she held dear up on the surface and join him at his side if it came down to it.

But the Institute…Aveline was now wanting, needing, hungering for a chance to get back at the organization as a whole; to make them pay dearly for taking everything from her and for believing themselves unaccountable for all the lives endangered and ruined as a result of their experiments, having pushed the boundaries of science to heights that should have never been reached in the first place.

"Walk with me?"

A command, hidden under the guise of an innocent question, grabbed Aveline's attention immediately. The vault dweller looked up at Dez, tired eyes stared back at her, an unspoken plead to do as she asked.

"Sure," came Aveline's simple reply, getting up from the bed and briefly stretching while Desdemona picked up a new bottle of whiskey as well as her drinking glass. The vault dweller followed the Railroad leader out of her room and through the escape tunnel. Along the way Aveline couldn't help but feel a deep churning in her gut in regards to the Railroad boss in front of her.

She was well aware that Dez was struggling to trust her but the events of Bunker Hill came to mind, how Artemis was more than ready and capable of killing her if the Railroad Alpha truly believed the vault dweller to be a threat. All that was needed was a simple order.

Aveline worried that Desdemona was taking her someplace where there would be no witnesses and her gaze falling on the pistol holstered on the older woman's hip did not ease matters any further.

But Desdemona made no suspicious or hostile maneuvers whatsoever as they stepped out the door and into a dilapidated house that was connected with the church. Rays of sunlight easily shone through the giant hole in the wall that allowed access to the street below. The Railroad leader took a seat in one of the old wooden chairs near a worn out table and Aveline followed the silent cue to do the same, sitting across from her.

The vault dweller looked into Dez's eyes and noticed the storm of emotions the Railroad leader was trying to hide away. Dez seemed to have noticed Aveline staring at her for the past few seconds and quickly flicked her gaze downwards to the cup in her hands. The vault dweller couldn't help but wonder what exactly was going on through Desdemona's mind, noticing she was acting vaguely strange since the argument at the top of the church.

"You may not believe me but I understand what you're going through, Aveline," the older woman suddenly spoke, breaking the monotonous silence between them but still keeping her eyes glued onto the glass in her hands. Her lips pressed into a thin line as if she was debating whether she should continue to speak or just leave it at that. Desdemona decided on the former.

"I know what it's like…The belief, the feeling that you have something good going in your life but suddenly it's snatched from you before your very eyes...And the worst part is that there is nothing you can do to reverse that. You were helpless to stop it even though you spend the rest of your days wondering that maybe you could have done something…anything…"

Desdemona stopped herself from speaking any further for the moment and instead raised the glass to her lips, taking a generous swig of her drink. Aveline, meanwhile, felt Dez's words hit a little too close to home.

She remembered the vault, being locked in the cryopod, watching helplessly as Nate was gunned down by Kellogg and their child was taken from him. She wished she could have done something to stop the merc and save her husband from death and her baby from the fate the Institute had in store for him but the door of her pod just wouldn't budge no matter how much she punched or kicked at it.

"I was a married woman as well, once upon a time…" Desdemona began "Back then…I was just a farmer, believe it or not…A mere citizen trying to make ends meet here in the Commonwealth. My life those years ago was vastly different from the one I'm leading now as I'm sure you can imagine…"

Aveline easily noticed the forlorn smile that had formed upon the Railroad leader's lips as she spoke, a simple expression that showed how, deep inside, she missed the simpler times…A time where her biggest worries had nothing to do with the Institute.

"You had a special someone of your own?" the blonde asked, hoping it wasn't too personal a question. Even though Dez perhaps only wanted her to listen, she did not wish for this to be a one-sided conversation. Whatever anger or frustration she had felt minutes before had mostly died down by now, replaced with curiosity and intrigue about whatever the auburn haired woman sitting next to her was willing to talk about.

"…Her name was Samantha," Desdemona immediately confessed and a ghost of a thin smile formed on her lips when she saw Aveline arch an eyebrow at her, "Yes, I was married to another woman. And she…she was everything to me..."

Dez almost felt her voice waver at the end there. She steeled herself in hopes that Aveline didn't notice that moment of weakness, looking away from her while she stared down at her glass again, gingerly swirling it along with the bitter liquid within it as she tried to ponder on what else to say.

"I never thought I would have found someone who I would have been able to care for…Someone whom I could consider loving. Farming already took a chunk of my time every day and I… I also wasn't exactly the most social person in Lynn Woods."

"Lynn Woods…" Aveline trailed off, unintentionally interrupting the older woman. The name just seemed to ring a bell in the back of her mind, "Where have I heard that name before?"

"You might have heard about it if you've traveled near Parsons Asylum," Desdemona clarified, "The settlement was practically right next door to that place but now it's just a ruin, abandoned for quite a few years now."

"Oh, right!" the vault dweller exclaimed, remembering that she had passed by the forgotten settlement and taken out a few raiders stalking the area as she was running errands for the Cabot family at the request of Edward Deegan. What was supposed to be a simple job ended up turning into one hell of an ordeal however, just like everything else she has had to deal with in the wasteland, "So you settled there with your lady friend a long time ago?"

"You could say that. I had already lived there for a few years when Samantha came into town one day. She 'd been wandering around the roads, looking for a place to settle down in but was down on her luck for the most part…" Desdemona said and Aveline could see a nostalgic gleam in Dez's eyes as the other woman took another quick sip of her drink. The vault dweller couldn't help but notice that she and the Railroad leader seemed to be a lot more alike than either of them had anticipated. Aveline would behave similarly lost in thought whenever she found herself reminiscing about the old days, the simpler, happier days with Nate before she got thrust into this maddening world.

"I took her in to help with my farm and well…our professional relationship became something more as time went by," Desdemona continued, "It wasn't long before the two of us practically became 'Commonwealth married'," she chuckled at the memory, "No grandiose ceremony, no guests of honor, no banquets, none of that…We just lived together, shared a few vows with each other one night beneath a tree and that was that. We were officially 'married'."

"Wow…that all sounds pretty normal if you ask me. Well, as normal as it can get out here, I guess," Aveline said as she leaned back in her chair, "You know, I was sort of expecting the leader of the Railroad to be an ex-Institute scientist who saw the error of her ways and was now fighting for the freedom of all synths."

The vault dweller held her breath for a moment, wondering if her attempt to lighten the mood would not sit well once again with the other woman and felt no small amount of relief when she heard Desdemona laugh softly at her words.

"No, nothing as flashy or extravagant as that," Dez replied as she finally found it in herself to look up at Aveline with a small and subtle smile gracing her lips, "Though I'm sure that would have made a good plot for a prewar film or radio show."

"Pfft, those sorts of ideas were used up all the time in the entertainment industry to the point it became a cliché," Aveline said, grinning widely, "It was funny to see Nate become frustrated with me every time I started predicting the outcome of every movie he would take me to watch."

Both women shared a bit of laughter but it immediately died down as soon as Aveline realized what she just said. Or more specifically, the name she mentioned out loud. Dez realized the mood had shifted as quickly as it had come, seeing the sadness that began to cloud the temporarily relaxed expression of her agent. She knew that look all too well, mostly from staring at her own reflection one time too many after…

"…You miss him, don't you?"

Dez knew little about Aveline's life in the prewar era, other than she was a lawyer and that she had been happily married…until the couple was cryogenically frozen and the husband was murdered by Kellogg.

She may have known little but she understood Aveline's circumstances better than anyone else. It was obvious that the woman from a different era would still reminisce on her old life even after she had been released from the vault almost a year ago. For Desdemona, it had been more than twelve years since she had experienced her loss. And time had yet to fully heal or suppress that lingering pain. On more quiet nights she still thought about their home, their own place and the future they might have had together.

And then there were the more lonely and hopeless moments. The kind where the Railroad veteran writhed internally with the guilt of actions taken and not taken, at the thought of her perceived failures…

Those moments where she went as far as to consider…

"I do. I miss him a lot," Aveline's soft voice snapped the Railroad leader out of her train of thought, away from the darker thoughts that threatened to cloud her mind once again, "Who wouldn't miss someone that they cared for deeply? We've been through thick and thin since we were barely teenagers and when we finally hooked up before we graduated high school…It was one of the best moments of my life, a first step to many memories we would share together…But to lose him like that…So quickly…He was trying to protect Shaun…And now Shaun dismisses it as an 'unfortunate incident'. He doesn't believe he was kidnapped. He thinks the Institute did him a favor taking him from us…"

Aveline's demeanor slowly began to crumble as she felt her blood begin to boil. Anger and sadness once again washed over her as she thought on her son and how casually he seemed to brush off most of the things she had to endure in her quest to find him. A part of her wanted to find reason within her aging son. After all, unlike her, he's had decades to deal with the loss of his father and unknown whereabouts of his mother.

She felt a light touch graze over her hand and nearly jumped from the contact. Aveline cast her eyes downwards to find Desdemona's hand over hers, the rough feel of the worn leather of Dez's fingerless glove together with the warmth of her calloused fingers sent a small tingle through the blonde woman. She looked up in surprise to find that the Railroad leader had moved closer to her while she wallowed in her desperate anger.

Dez did not return Aveline's stare, instead gazing down at their connected hands as she rubbed a soothing trail with her thumb across the slightly grimy yet smooth skin of the prewar woman. She didn't say anything…She did not want to say anything yet here she was, opening up bit by bit about her life before the Railroad, details that no one else knew.

There was the ever paranoid side of her that screamed at her that this was a mistake. No agents within the Railroad should know so much about their comrades other than what job they are assigned within the organization for safety reasons.

But her hidden honor won out…the slowly creeping guilt that kept reminding her that Aveline had been nothing but helpful to the Railroad's cause and that she had repaid the vault dweller's efforts in extremely poor fashion.

It would not immediately repair the bridge between her and Aveline immediately but Desdemona hoped that at least it would extinguish the flames that she herself had started and which threatened to consume it entirely.

"I joined the Railroad soon after I had lost my wife," Desdemona confessed, earning a curious look from Aveline.

"What…what happened to her?" she asked and the vault dweller couldn't help but feel a growing pit in her stomach as she could almost feel where this was going…

"I lost her to the Institute," the auburn haired woman responded, her tone so flat and hollow that Aveline couldn't help but feel slightly unnerved at the sound of it. Desdemona had been exhausted before but at that moment her voice sounded empty and devoid of any sort of emotion, "The truth was that she was a runaway Institute synth who had been taken in by the Railroad and given new memories. She was led to believe she was a wandering drifter who was searching for a place to settle down…"

"It didn't matter to me though…I loved her and I was going stick by her no matter what…But what we didn't count on was the Institute hunting her down and eventually tracking her to our settlement…"

' _You should leave while you still can!' Sam had yelled at her, a pleading look in her eyes as they heard the chaos erupt in the outskirts of the settlement._

' _Like hell I'm leaving you here!' she had yelled back, trying her hardest not to cave to the sounds of gunfire and the shouts of pain and fear coming from outside. Never had she thought that the Institute was a real thing, even after learning of her wife's true origin…_

 _Never had she thought that they would be coming after her love…_

'… _I'm staying with you until the end, good or bad. It was one of my vows to you, Samantha!'_

' _Don't be stupid!' Sam berated her though the insult came more from fearful desperation rather than malice, 'They'll kill you too! They only want me! And I wouldn't be able to withstand anything bad happening to you, my love…"_

 _The woman who would eventually become known as 'Desdemona' stood there, hands clenching into fists at her side as she tried to hold back the tears that threatened to pour from her eyes. She couldn't leave Sam like this. There had to be another way…_

 _She tried to weigh her options in the last minute, even as the sounds of fighting dwindled outside while the panicked screams of settlers running for their lives continued to echo throughout the settlement._

' _Please…Ophelia, I'm begging you…Just go…Please…'_

"Desdemona?"

She heard someone mention her name but it was not Sam's voice. The Railroad leader blinked before taking in her surroundings and eventually laying eyes on the vault dweller. Charmer's face was twisted in worry and she realized that she must have gotten lost in one of her memories again.

Desdemona shook her head as she mentally cursed her moment of weakness. Her memories needed to stay buried, hidden away in the deepest reaches of her mind as to not lose focus on the mission at hand. Sharing them to someone else would count as another mistake.

"I will speak no more of this," Desdemona said as she swiftly got up from her seat and walked to the edge of the room overlooking the alley below. She did not want pity…Did not want Charmer to see her so lost and vulnerable and she needed distance between them. Her touch felt so cold far from Aveline's skin and Dez did not need to look back to know of the disappointment in the eyes of the Sole Survivor.

"You can go on ahead to mingle with the Minutemen for the next few days if that's your wish," Dez spoke, her stern attitude returning as she kept her back turned to Charmer, "While you are there, gather whatever weapons and supplies that you can slip to Z1 and his group under the Institute's noses…"

"And lastly, when the time comes to return to the Institute, you are to report back to me before you leave and once more after the scheduled meeting has concluded. Understood, Agent Charmer?"

She had never been quite this formal with Aveline before, even in moments where they both retained a professional relationship. Dez hardly knew what she was hoping to accomplish by being so standoffish to the former vault dweller.

' _Nothing. Absolutely nothing other than to dig yourself deeper in misery and paranoia.'_

"Yeah…Sure thing, Dez," Aveline responded and the Railroad leader did not miss how deflated the agent sounded. She felt a growing pit in her stomach and the guilt was returning fast once again, knowing that she was just making things worse for the vault dweller.

She heard the scrape of a chair and the sound of footsteps as Aveline got up and made to leave the room they were in. Desdemona was not sure whether to feel relief or pain that nothing else would be said between them for a while. She chided herself for not having at least the courtesy to bid the other woman a simple farewell.

"Desdemona…"

The auburn haired woman slowly turned her head upon hearing her being called, glancing at Aveline from over her shoulder. Uncertainty was figuratively written all over the blonde woman's face, like she was unsure of what to say next or if she would get any reaction at all from the Railroad leader. She must have noticed that Dez had caught on to her and sighed, reaching a hand up to rub at the back of her neck before continuing to speak.

"I'm sorry…about your wife…No one should lose someone they hold dear in the way you lost her…"

"And…I wanted to apologize…for my behavior as well. It was uncalled for…ranting at you the way I did…"

"Don't," Desdemona curtly responded, "You had plenty of reason to be angry. I won't deny that."

"…I deserved worse," she muttered under her breath, careful that Aveline didn't hear her.

"Still, I-"

"Enough." Desdemona sharply spoke as she turned away from the vault dweller and her gaze fell onto the outside world once more. She did not want to keep Aveline around longer than necessary lest she risk pouring her heart out to the weary vaultie; confess to her what she truly felt about this whole situation and the mess she herself had a hand in creating.

"Just go."

Dez wanted none of that. She did not want to break down before Charmer and reveal to her how weak and powerless she felt on the inside. It no longer had to do with the fear of the double agent potentially using that against her.

No. If she has learned anything from Aveline in all the time they have worked together, the vault dweller would pity her and sympathize with her plight. A pity Desdemona did not want and sympathy she felt she did not deserve from the prewar woman given her actions.

Desdemona heard one last sigh followed by footsteps slowly growing fainter until she heard nothing at all, meaning that Aveline had departed and now she was all alone staring out into the nothingness of her surroundings.

Alone, as she should have been for all these years.

She sat by the edge of the dilapidated homestead, what little energy she felt she might have had left completely dissipating.

For the first time since she had lost Sam, Desdemona…no, Ophelia Harper, felt well and truly alone in a hostile wasteland and in the middle of a fucking shitstorm that had signs pointing towards an untimely demise for her and the handful of people left she could bring herself to care for.

She couldn't give up now, however. She was in too deep, too invested in this conflict and she would have to see it through to the end. Only with the Institute gone would she perhaps find the peace she had sought for over twelve years since the loss of her wife.

Be it in life…

…Or in the world beyond the grave.


	17. Chapter 17: Judas in my MInd

_A/N: Warning for suicidal thoughts and mentions of a suicide attempt up ahead._

...

" _What's wrong, love? You don't like it?"_

 _Ophelia blurted out the question before she could think on wording it better. She and Samantha had been walking together for the past few minutes by a stream near Lynn Woods. There had been no signs of danger near the settlement aside from the Deathclaw nest in the grove to the north of town. But unlike many of their brethren prowling the wastes, these creatures seemed interested only in keeping to themselves. They posed little threat so long as no one crossed right into their territory._

 _Apart from that, it was as good a day as any for a casual stroll for the pair._

 _Ophelia couldn't keep her eyes off Sam, who wore a summer blouse and shorts that revealed an expanse of milky-white skin and long legs that had the auburn-haired woman thinking less than polite thoughts about what she wanted to do with her lover once they got back home. She had wondered at some point how someone who had apparently been a drifter that traveled from place to place could look so clean, almost porcelain. Even working around the farm and messing with the crops and dirt had barely blemished or stained her skin._

 _However, what got her attention the most in that moment was that Sam had been staring at her free hand for a while since they had wandered to the outskirts of town. Specifically, Sam had been staring at her ring finger and the tiny metal band that adorned it._

 _The question seemed enough to grab the brunette's attention, the young woman looking up at Ophelia with a surprised, almost shocked look on her face, having realized what her lover implied._

" _What?!" Sam asked incredulously, "Of course I like it! It's just…I mean…" she struggled to find the words that she wanted to say, "I wasn't expecting you to make it yourself. I never would have wanted you to go through all that trouble, Ophi. Not for me…"_

" _Oh, Sam…" Ophelia chuckled as they both stopped for a moment before she reached up to cradle Sam's face in her hands and placed a gentle kiss on her lips, "I would hardly consider it trouble…Heck, anything I do for you is no trouble for me at all."_

 _Samantha chuckled, leaning in to place a kiss on Ophelia's jaw as she threw her arms around her lover's neck. Their gazes met, and the brunette couldn't suppress the smirk on her face._

" _Such a charmer…I bet you say that to all the girls," Sam teased in a low, sultry voice as she moved her hands to Ophelia's shoulders and down her arms. Toned, as expected from someone who had made a living working out in the fields, yet somehow soft at the same time. The brunette's gaze roamed over her lover; the thin tank top Ophelia wore and her flannel shirt tied around her waist, jeans that fit just nicely on sturdy legs, auburn hair tied in a long, bushy ponytail and hazel eyes that did nothing to hide all the love and affection that she felt for her._

" _Only the ones I've proposed marriage with…" Ophelia leaned in for a quick peck before continuing, "…And since you're the first one I've had the pleasure of proposing to…"_

 _Sam didn't even let her finish as she tugged Ophelia down for a passionate kiss which gradually deepened. Tongues dueled as their hands roamed around each other and eventually they parted, flushed and panting._

" _I still can't believe it, though…" the brunette murmured after she got a hold of herself, glancing back to the ring on her finger, "We're…we're married! I'm yours and…and your mine!"_

 _Sam giggled in infectious joy as even Ophelia herself couldn't suppress the chuckle that escaped her lips and soon they were both giddy with laughter. Life was short in the wasteland and the good things in life came in few and very far between. But both women found some semblance of love with each other and given time, maybe it would all work out into something better in the end._

" _Never doubt it, my love," Ophelia whispered to her wife as she wrapped her arms around Sam and tugged her closer, "I'm yours and your mine…This our home now. And if you still need convincing…Well, let's get back home and I'll show you just how much I freaking love you."_

 _Sam said nothing as she took in her wife's words but let her know she approved by returning Ophelia's tight hug with one of her own, nuzzling her head against Ophelia's neck._

 _A chance for a pleasant life was all they desired and they had finally found it. They had each other and as Ophelia looked towards the direction of her farm and back to the woman in her arms, she realized she truly built a home to call her own._

…

 _Silence had settled around Lynn Woods soon after the unexpected attack from those strange robots, the synths as she had heard they were called. It was not a silence of comfort or relief but an eerie one, one that fit so well with the theme of death that emanated from the lack of response from the dozen or so bodies that littered the settlement._

 _Deeper into the settlement, however, one would have noticed a break in the quiet though it was just as unpleasant and foreboding as the silence. If there was anyone left or near to listen, they would have heard the sounds of the flames crackling against a handful of wooden homes, having been set alight by stray laser fire. The same weaponry that left some of the corpses with their skin still sizzling from the burn wounds as the smell of burnt flesh permeated the air around what was once a quaint, backwoods settlement._

 _And further within this exhibit of calculated destruction, one would have heard quiet, restrained sobs and metal scraping against dirt._

 _In the outskirts of the town, Ophelia Harper shoveled one last pile of dirt onto the ground in front of her before limply tossing aside the shovel. She fell to her knees as what little strength she had left her completely and all she could do was stare blankly at the mound of dirt on the ground before her._

 _The mound that marked where she had laid her wife to rest._

 _She had rushed back to the settlement as soon as it became quiet. A stupid move perhaps but Ophelia could not get her mind off Sam the entire time…as well as the guilt of having left her wife behind even though it was she who pleaded for Ophelia to save herself._

 _Much to her surprise, the assailants were already gone by the time she had returned to her but any hope she might have had immediately went up in flames as she noticed the bodies scattered before her. It only got worse as she made her way through the town._

 _Friends, fellow settlers, among others…no one had been spared. Some lay crumpled in a heap, others with weapons drawn in a futile attempt to fight back. Those that had tried to run had been shot right in the back. And perhaps the worst sight of them all, a handful of dead adults huddled over the corpses of the village's children. It would seem they had tried to shield the young ones of the settlement when there was no longer any hope of escape. Unfortunately, that act of selflessness proved futile in the end…_

' _No…no, no, no. This can't be real. This is all some strange nightmare…Sam!'_

 _Every second that passed by, her heart sank even deeper as she rushed for the farmstead, clinging to whatever hopes and prayers that Samantha was perhaps still alive, that she survived this massacre and had hidden herself away somewhere in the house._

" _Sam!"_

 _Ophelia had practically thrown herself against the front door of house, caring little about nearly breaking it off it's hinges and less about spooking potential intruders that may have stayed behind in her home. But hope was dashed the moment she laid eyes on Samantha._

 _Sprawled out on the floor of their living room lay her wife. Eyes wide open and locked in an expression of fear but completely devoid of life. Plenty of laser burns marred her torso, having burned holes right through her shirt and one shot in particular had gone through her heart._

 _Never in her life had she screamed in anguish as she did in that moment…_

 _She stared at the grave she had made, eyes completely bloodshot from all tears she had shed. Wordlessly, Ophelia picked herself up from the ground and headed back towards the destroyed town, stumbling and swaying throughout the settlement. Her own eyes barely contained any life in them and they took in the sight once more of the massacre that she was forced to escape from._

 _The singed corpses of her fellow villagers deserved a burial, but she would not be the one to do it. Samantha's burial already sapped her of what little strength she had left._

 _Only one thing crossed her mind in that moment…_

 _Returning to her farm once more, Ophelia wandered into her toolshed. She searched the room and a mirthless smile curved on her lips as she spotted what she was looking for._

 _The widowed woman made her way to the living room of her home, one hand grasping the top of a wooden chair and dragging it behind her while the other held onto some thick rope she had taken from the shed. She stared up at the ceiling, towards the dilapidated fan spinning slowly in place with the light breeze that came through the windows and figured it was as good a spot as any for what she wanted to do._

 _Standing on the chair to reach up, she wrapped and tied one end of the rope on top of the ceiling fan and with the other end she formed a tight noose. Ophelia gazed at it for a few moments, almost as if deciding at the last second if she wanted to go through with it or not. No turning back once the deed was done after all._

 _She reached out a hand to feel the noose, caressing the tied fabric and wondered how it would feel. Would it crack her neck and grant her a swift death? Or would it leave her there flailing above the floor, helpless as she died a slow and agonizing death by asphyxiation?_

 _Ophelia sighed and smiled once more, though it lacked any sort of joy and happiness behind the expression._

 _She gently lifted the noose up above her head and then lowered it until it settled around her neck. Ophelia felt her hands slightly shake and opted to take a deep breath before looking upwards, imagining herself looking beyond the ceiling of the home she shared with her beloved and gazing towards the heavens themselves instead._

 _This was it, she had thought. This was the moment she would abandon this harsh world and escape the challenges and misery that fate no doubt had in store for her._

" _You won't have to wait long, my love," Ophelia murmured as she closed her eyes and took one final breath before turning her right foot to an angle where she could kick the chair away, "I'll be there with you soon enough…"_

…

The chapel of the Old North Church remained quiet without the growls and shuffling steps of the feral ghouls that had been kept there. They had been kept around to serve as a hindrance for any unwanted interlopers but the Railroad leader had to admit that at least she had a new spot to distance herself from another long, suffocating day deep within HQ sorting through the usual reports and rumors. There was nothing new of note for the time being with the Brotherhood and Institute both going quiet after their failure to seize Bunker Hill.

Meanwhile, Desdemona sat quietly on of the pews, lost in thoughts that had little to do with the Railroad's continued struggle against their opponents. Or perhaps a lot, depending on who was being asked. She tossed away a cigarette that she had held in between her fingers while with her other hand, she brought a bottle of whiskey up to her lips to take a large swig that nearly drained it of it's contents before setting it aside on the empty space beside her.

Thinking.

Thinking was all she had been doing since Charmer left.

Thinking on a past she never truly had a chance to lay to rest.

Her thoughts constantly shifted between Charmer, Sam, and the few friends she had made here in the Railroad during her tenure…All of them gone.

In regard to Charmer, Dez had fully realized she had ironically treated the vault dweller with suspicion and distrust after she was the one who had tasked her to infiltrate the Institute and act as a double agent. She had barely allowed Charmer a moment to process the shock and possible horror that the Institute was being led by her very own son.

Instead of their behind-the-scenes relationship evolving into something more, Dez threw it all aside to focus on protecting the Railroad.

Or at least that's what she kept telling herself.

Where Deacon took pride in lying to others, it would seem Dez took on the habit of lying to herself.

She wondered what Sam would think of her if she saw her now…

' _I'd want for her to look at me with contempt and disappointment. It's what I deserve. But she won't. She'll just flash me another one of her damn bright smiles and make me believe that everything will be all right…'_

Who or what was she really protecting? Maybe she should have chosen a different approach, but the ghosts of the past fueled her questionable decision making.

And now, Dez sat there, unsure of what to do, what to feel about everything that was going through her mind.

Sometimes, she wondered if it would have been easier if she had just ended it all back then on that farm.

Perhaps she would have…If the man she would come to know as Deacon had arrived a minute later to her farm…or had failed to talk her out of going forward with her act.

' _Please. You didn't want to die…At least not by your own hand…'_ Dez could almost hear herself from the back of her own mind, taunting, mocking her in every possible way, _'…By dying as some pretentious martyr, you hope to keep some sort of dignity, so no one would ever notice how weak and worthless you truly are.'_

Desdemona buried her face in her hands, unable to stand the accusing thoughts within her mind. Ones that confronted her with truths she desperately tried to conceal.

' _They all look up to you, you know…It makes you wonder what they would think of you if they saw the broken shell beneath the image of the stoic freedom fighter…Honestly, your continued attempts at putting up the 'strong and decisive leader' act is becoming laughably amusing…'_

She was not the brave and selfless hero that many of the younger agents and freed synths thought her to be. She was not the headstrong and capable leader that Deacon, Glory and others hoped for her to be. And in the end, she proved herself incapable of being the tender and compromising paramour that Aveline had wished for her to be.

' _They will curse your name in their dying breaths when they realize you have failed them too.'_

Keeping a firm grasp on her own sanity as it threatened to slip through her fingers was becoming a more arduous struggle than the fight against the Institute. So much so that she barely heard the heavy footsteps of one of her agents ascending the steps from the church catacombs and turning towards her.

"So…found yourself a new hiding spot, Boss?"

The Railroad leader turned her gaze up to find Glory approaching her. Without her bulky armored coat, she was left in a tanktop with a few grease stains, no doubt from working on her minigun. The heavy looked amused for a moment until her gaze fell on the empty bottle next to Dez. Her smirk twisted into a frown as she crossed her arms beneath her chest.

"Great. First Charmer and now you…You trying to copy the vaultie's bad habits now, Boss?" Glory reprimanded and when Desdemona simply gave her an inquisitive _'What the hell are you talking about?'_ look, the heavy gestured towards the empty bottle of whiskey on the space beside her. Dez stared at the bottle before realizing that she may have had a shot too many that resulted in the crestfallen mood she had been for the past hour.

"I just needed a break."

' _And here we go with the lies again…'_

"Nothing wrong with that. I just didn't figure you would be trying to knock yourself out cold after you saw how hammered Charmer got."

"…Maybe I was," Dez responded nonchalantly while shrugging her shoulders, "What does it matter to you?"

The Railroad leader couldn't take her words back as soon as she let them slip. Her face flushed a little with shame for coming off as unprofessionally rude to someone who didn't warrant it and cast her gaze down to the old floorboards beneath her feet. She was still groggy with exhaustion and maybe there was still enough alcohol lingering in her system to cloud her judgment a little.

Rolling her eyes, Glory showed more signs of being slightly annoyed rather than offended and strode over to sit on the unoccupied space beside her boss, crossing one leg over the other and stretching her arms and placing them behind her head, assuming a relaxing posture.

"Misery loves company…Isn't that right, boss?" Glory idly spoke as she stared up at the decrepit ceiling of the church. It was honestly a surprise this old building still held strong for so many centuries despite the state it eventually came to be in after the bombs dropped.

When she did not receive an answer, Glory looked to her side from the corner of her eye and when she noticed Dez's gaze cast downward, the heavy let out an audible huff as she tried her best to not grab the Alpha by the shoulders and shake her out of whatever stupor she seemed to be in.

' _Okay, screw this. I suck at small talk anyway.'_

"All right, since nobody else is going to say it, then it's gonna have to be me. Dez, you need to talk with Charmer."

That got the boss' attention with how quickly she lifted her gaze to meet Glory's with the most dumfounded expression etched across her face. Of all the things that could come out of the agent's mouth, that was not something the Railroad leader was expecting.

"…What?"

"You heard me. Talk with Charmer," Glory said in a firm manner, "And not the _'How goes your mission, Charmer?'_ kind of talk. I mean the _'We have a shit-ton of air to clear between us, so let's get on the same page'_ sort of talk."

"…That sounds like something Deacon would say…" Dez responded in an accusing tone, "He put you up to this, didn't he?"

Glory shrugged.

"Maybe he did. Maybe he didn't. But he did have a point…Because everything seemed as normal as it could be a few weeks back…Then Charmer goes to the Institute, comes back, probably a little shocked and worse for wear but she comes back alive. You'd think now things would go smoothly but now you've been avoiding each other as if you two haven't been sneaking your hands down each other's pants before that-"

"Alright, I get it Glory!" Dez angrily cut her off as she buried her face into the palm of her hand in a poor attempt to hide the red flush of embarrassment spreading across her cheeks. When she found it in herself to meet her agent's stare, she did so with a scowl on her lips.

"I've really had it with everyone trying to dig into what goes on in the private aspects of my life or Charmer's respectively. We are so close to fulfilling our mission where anything and everything can go wrong and all everyone can talk about is why Charmer and I are no longer sleeping together?!"

"You almost nailed it, Dez!" Glory quickly retorted, making a gesture of almost pinching two fingers together and continued before giving her boss any chance to respond, "You're right. We're close to possibly kicking down the Institute's door, freeing as much of my people as we can and blowing the fucking place sky high but the problem is both you and Charmer can't seem to get your shit together long enough to get this done."

"And if none of you have an idea about what you're doing, then the rest of us have no idea how to keep going forward and we end up losing the momentum we gained from kicking the Brotherhood's and Institute's collective asses at Bunker Hill."

Dez sat in silence, taken aback by Glory's sudden outburst while she took a moment to process the agent's words. The Railroad leader heaved a sigh as she realized that the heavy made a good point, hanging her head as her anger gradually subsided. She had a lot of troubles to deal with but she couldn't allow any of that to ruin the organization's recent fortunes. However, she would have to cast aside her doubts towards Charmer and freely work together for everyone to be on the same page.

It was easier said than done, though.

"Glory, the whole situation is a lot more complicated than you think," Dez stood up, running a hand through her hair as she found herself pacing around, "It is because we are at the most crucial stage in our fight against the Institute that I believed it was in Charmer and I's best interests for the both of us to avoid distractions."

"Well, that hasn't helped out all, has it?" the Railroad agent pointed out, smirking when she heard the auburn-haired woman scoff in defeat. There was no argument against that as Desdemona was indeed more out of her element now than before she started the whole mess with Charmer.

Dez had to remind herself to never underestimate Glory's intelligence. While the heavy was brash and impulsive, especially when it came to fighting, she was also a lot more observant and intuitive than she let on. Quite a handful of people had made the mistake of thinking that Glory was more brawn than brains but no one escaped the Institute and survived as long as she did in the wasteland without the necessary smarts.

However, the fact still stood that the woman did not know the whole truth of the situation. The details that explained that Charmer was now tied to the Institute in more ways than one.

"Aren't you at all concerned about Charmer working within the Institute?"

"Yeah, I'm concerned…Because I'm pretty sure one wrong move and it's lights out for her and the rest of us," she retorted.

"Glory…"

"But worried about her possibly selling us out?" the agent pointedly asked, "Look…I know better than anyone here where you're coming from with all these worst-case scenarios. I've thought of them too sometimes after you two came back from Sanctuary…But I just can't see her throwing everything she's done so far for us and for the Minutemen down the drain just to get cozy with the Institute…Anyone else, sure. But not her."

Being synths who have escaped the Institute and refused the mind-wipe treatment, only Glory and Artemis could understand that there was some truth to Dez's paranoia. Only she could imagine how much bullshit the Institute was feeding Charmer in an attempt to butter her up and sway her to their side.

There was no doubt in the heavy's mind that the Institute's leaders had to have caught onto the vaultie's good nature and tendency to help others by now and would capitalize on that by selling her dreams of having advanced tech and resources at her disposal to help in her endeavors on the surface like the duplicitous assholes they were. The synth woman knew the Institute scientists would sooner burn down their own fancy laboratories than see even the tiniest scrap of their supplies and research redirected at making the Commonwealth a less shitty place to live in.

"People sometimes act in strange ways, Glory," Dez softly muttered with a sad smile.

"Right…I guess we all do," Glory answered before turning to face the other woman, "We didn't have any other options, did we?"

"None. It had to be her"

"Then I'm trusting her to get the job done, one way or another."

And Glory meant it when she said she would trust her. She needed to trust her after everything the vaultie had done for the Railroad, even if the boss was being less gracious about it.

Desdemona, on the other hand, still felt cautious about everything that went on. For a moment, she wanted to explain the truth to Glory and see if she would still trust Charmer upon knowing that the person in charge of the Institute was the agent's own flesh and blood.

The Railroad leader wordlessly shook her head, deciding against it. It was not entirely her place to say and such news would only spread uncertainty and confusion among everyone else at HQ.

It would also be a low blow to the fragile trust and partnership between the both of them.

"You trusting someone? That's a first," Desdemona retorted as she sat back down on the pew beside Glory and the corner of her lip curved to form a half-smirk.

"Hey!" the agent whined, and she lightly swatted her boss on the arm, "I trust a few of our guys! Charmer, Artemis…and Deacon, as much as I hate to admit it…"

The auburn-haired woman gave a light chuckle before Glory continued, "…And I trust you to lead us the rest of the way. That's why I'm trying to knock some sense into you."

Dez's face fell as soon as she listened to those words and she held back a shaky breath that threatened to tip off a sudden surge of uneasiness within her gut.

Trust…It had always been somewhat of a foreign concept for the older woman. The Alpha was very selective of those she deemed trustworthy since it was a concept that could easily be betrayed. And those who trusted her…She did not feel like she had done anything to warrant the praise and vote of confidence from anyone, especially from someone like Glory.

"I see…" the Railroad leader quietly muttered, doing her best to quickly hide her unease before Glory could notice. She wanted to protest. To scold the agent for letting her guard down for a moment of naiveté. But it would be a never-ending back and forth between the two and the forces arrayed against them would quickly pounce on the Railroad as soon as they heard even a wisp of internal struggles or confusion.

"…I…Perhaps I've been overthinking things too much lately…"

The heavy hummed in agreement but said nothing else as she popped a cigarette from her pocket and placed it between her lips. Dez was offered one, which she gladly took, and the two women simply sat there in companionable silence, forgetting about the high-stakes war they were involved in if only for a minute.

Halfway through her cigarette, Dez decided to entertain Glory's earlier attempt at small talk, if only to break the silence and keep her mind away from thoughts regarding either Aveline or Sam. A simple triviality to steer away from the dark clouds that would envelop her mind and towards the light. After all, it had been a long while since she shared a break with the silver-haired woman sitting lazily beside her.

"So, any idea what you plan on doing once this is all over?"

"Yep."

Desdemona was rather surprised with how quickly Glory had responded. The Railroad leader observed as the synthetic woman closed one eye while lifting her hands and stuck her thumbs and index fingers from both hands out, shaping a square as if she was framing the perfect snapshot of the view in front of her.

"A nice-looking house, a picket fence, a dog like the one Charmer has, and a hubflower garden. That's all I ask."

Dez swiftly stared at her with a look of complete disbelief that provoked her agent to grin widely.

"I don't see you as the type to be tending gardens. Or settling down at all."

Glory simply laughed.

"Hey! I know there's plenty of stuff out there that needs shooting, but I'd like my own space once I start moving around up here," Glory shot back and then shrugged, "Eh, maybe the garden is a little too cutesy for my tastes…I'll set up a shooting range instead."

"Now that's something I won't have trouble believing…" Desdemona lightly retorted as she moved to stand up. Taking a brief moment to stretch and tilt her head from side to side to loosen the stiffness gathered around her neck, she shot a quick glance to Glory who remained seated and said, "I've been out here long enough. I should get back to HQ and figure out what our next move will be."

"Sure thing, boss," the heavy waved off as she flicked the stub of her cigarette across the chapel, "I'll sit around here for a couple of minutes, if you don't mind. Gotta' find some other way to relax besides using the shooting range."

With a quick nod to Glory, Desdemona turned towards the staircase that would lead her back down to HQ. She reached up to brush a few strands of hair from covering her eyes. Maybe with a bit of work she could make herself a bit useful until Charmer could bring her any further reports in regard to the Institute.

"Hey, Boss!" Glory suddenly called out to her just as she was about to descend the stairs. Dez stopped in her tracks but did not yet turn to face the other woman.

"Look, I just wanted to say…thanks."

That caught Dez's attention and the older woman shifted slightly to face the synthetic woman across the room, wondering what brought all this on.

"…For what?" she asked, not entirely certain she had heard Glory correctly.

"For putting up with my shit all the time since I joined," she answered, "For giving me the chance to fight for my people instead of forcing me to run off to the middle of Bumblefuck with someone's else's memories running through my head."

"I know I can be a pain in the ass a lot of times but…" Glory continued but hesitated for a moment, trying to figure how to say what she wanted to say without ruining her self-percieved image that came with being the Railroad's best soldier, "God, I hate this mushy shit but…Thanks…For being perhaps the first real friend I've had since I left that damn place."

Dez stood frozen in place there and Glory was too busy trying to push away the sense of embarrassment that she was feeling to notice the look of distress on Desdemona's face as she felt her throat tighten. This was a completely different side to the typically brash and boisterous Railroad fighter. But if there was one thing she could count on the agent for it would be sincerity. For better or worse, Glory spoke what she felt without a second thought.

What could she say to this? Instead of inspiring her to do her utmost best, one question surfaced immediately within Dez's mind.

' _Will I fail her as well?'_

It seemed that the Railroad leader stood there in catatonic silence long enough that the silver haired agent started to fidget uncomfortably around her seat. She let out an audible sigh as she reached a hand up and rubbed the back of her neck.

"Damn…I knew this was gonna' be so damn embarrassing…Look, Dez. Just…forget I said-"

"No. It's…it's all right Glory," Desdemona snapped out of her stupor and tried to hastily reassure the agent, "I was just…surprised…that you held that much respect for me…"

Her reasoning seemed to have worked as the synthetic woman visibly relaxed before reassuming an easygoing and nonchalant posture.

"Of course, I do. Not a lot of people out here willing to lead the charge against the Institute and help us synths while they're at it," Glory reasoned, her lips forming a smirk while her eyes lit up for a chance to eventually jump back into the fight, "I meant what I said. I trust you and I trust Charmer. So do whatever it takes to get your girl back and figure out where you two go from here so we can give the Institute the kick in the balls they've been asking for all these years."

Dez offered a small smile, if only to reassure her agent and hide all the tendrils of guilt and doubt that threatened to envelop her very being.

"Right…We'll do what we have to," the older woman spoke, though she was unsure if those words were meant for Glory or herself, "But we'll do it together…All of us. Even Charmer knows the Institute has to go, one way or another…"

She remembered when she spoke with Aveline, her mannerisms, her attitude towards the Institute. It didn't take much to piece together that the organization was behind most of the vault dweller's misery and kidnapping her child to turn him into one of their own should have been the final straw. They were still family but the Director and the rest of the Institute saw her as a useful pawn, nothing more.

There was time where Dez herself would have been accused of the same thing but somehow she came to care for Charmer. She cared to the point of selfishness and pushed her away in some half-assed attempt to protect her when in reality she was looking to protect herself from further loss.

It was too late to back away now.

As she turned to head back down towards the tunnels, Dez realized she needed to regain Aveline's trust somehow, if only to find an anchor to hold onto in the coming storm before she was swallowed into an abyss of death and despair beneath her feet. And she knew Charmer was perhaps seeking the same thing.

Only time would tell, so she trudged on, unbeknownst to her and Glory that somebody else had been listening in on their talk from the upper part of the chapel.

Deacon fixed his shades and he quietly went back to the room he had been napping in, interrupted the moment Dez and Glory raised their voices against each other. He chuckled briefly, finally knowing Glory's deep dark secret of wanting her very own pre-war American Dream once the fighting was all over but his thoughts went back to Dez. He frowned, knowing full well how tumultuous and complicated her mind truly worked. Hell, he could read just about anybody but the boss provided a challenge on her own.

He wondered what she would do from here. They all needed to be on the same page if they had any hope to cut the Institute down to size and deliver a finishing blow…preferably before the Brotherhood of Steel ended up on the move again.

From his point of view, the sole survivor of the Lynn Woods Massacre had changed so much and yet so little. And he wasn't sure if that should bring some semblance of hope or scare him shitless of whatever fate awaited them all.

…

" _You really sure about that one joining us?"_

 _Deacon looked up from the book he was reading as Pinky approached him, before turning his gaze in the direction the Railroad leader had been pointing at. Over at an isolated corner within Bolthole Safehouse, the Railroad's newest recruit sat on the concrete ground with her back to the wall. Her shoulder-length auburn hair was tied in a ponytail to keep the strands from falling around her eyes while she took apart her pistol and began cleaning it with a rag. The woman from Lynn Woods had yet to break from her self-imposed isolation and it would seem that it was starting to worry others here._

" _Maybe…Maybe I just felt like taking some random wastelander with me and showing off our extravagant lifestyle-"_

" _Don't get smart with me, asshole."_

" _I took her in because I felt she could be an asset for us. Did you already get the report from the recon op?"_

" _I did."_

" _And?"_

" _Agent Desdemona did pretty well for her first initiation mission. From what I heard, she's actually good at doing recon…"_

" _I told you-"_

" _However…" Pinky cut him off, "Wade noticed she had a habit of keeping her distance even from other fellow agents and she's had a habit of, his words, not mine, 'zoning out' every once in a while. You do realize that kind of behavior can be detrimental to the Railroad's work…"_

" _Hey, cut her a bit of slack, would ya', Boss?" Deacon casually protested as he set the book down on his lap, "She's only been here with us for two weeks. Let her get her bearings together and she might end up being one of the best people we could have around."_

" _We've got a few agents here already thinking she's some Institute plant," Pinky pointed out, "It's ridiculous but they ain't gonna' change their tune anytime soon unless she proves herself further."_

" _Well, what else do you want us to do, Boss?" Deacon asked. The tone of his voice remained as playful as it could be but his shades hid the slight look of irritation within his eyes._

" _I've got another op that needs to get done. I'm putting you up for it because I've got no one else at the moment."_

" _And you want me to take Dez with me?" Deacon inquired._

" _Exactly," the other man confirmed, "It won't be just you two though. Maven and Songbird will be joining you as backup. Those two are pretty much the only ones who somehow have gotten your new agent to talk more than a few words so bringing them aboard should make Dez pull it together."_

" _Four of us on a mission? What kind of op is this?"_

" _We have some suspicions that one of our safehouses have gone dark. No further dead drops, no holotapes, nothing. More than that I can't say," Pinky shrugged, "Who knows? Maybe their radio is defunct or something. We're not really certain so it'll be up to you to figure out what sort of trouble they're in."_

 _Deacon sat quietly for a moment, mulling over the information just received. He already knew what Pinky was talking about and wondered what took the man so long to present him these suspicions. The Railroad's leader had been getting careless recently but there was not much Deacon could do about it without being given the people and leeway he needed to actually get things done for the organization._

" _Alright. Give me the coordinates and we'll be on our way."_

 _He did so and a while later after Pinky had left him to his own devices, Deacon stood up from his spot and walked over to the quiet woman he would be watching over for the current mission._

" _What do you want?" she asked in a deadpan tone, not even bothering to look up at the man beside her and kept her eyes solely focused on putting her gun back together._

" _Hey," Deacon started, unaffected by his agent's cold demeanor, "How do you feel like going on a field trip with me?" he asked as amusingly as he could._

 _Desdemona remained quiet for a moment, giving her pistol a final look-over before she holstered it. Standing up from her spot, she brushed her hands across her jeans before looking back at Deacon and offering a shrug of compliance._

" _Sure. Let's hit the road. Had enough of some of these assholes staring at me anyways."_

 _Eventually, Dez's career as a Railroad agent began to kickoff. She worked plenty of more missions together with other agents and had especially started to get along with Maven, Songbird and a few others as well. There were also times she ran solo, scouting out new routes for potential packages or possible threats closing in on any of the Railroad's safehouses._

 _However, Deacon started to notice a pattern. Almost every mission Dez came back from, she was always sporting some form of wound or injury, usually a result of getting into a scuffle with the hostile elements of the Commonwealth. Sure, it could perhaps be a stroke of bad luck. Not many threats were easily avoided by the Railroad's agents. But he wondered if the new agent was deliberately picking fights she shouldn't have been picking around in the first place._

 _It was that look in her eyes that told him everything he needed to know._

 _Every time he stopped by to check up on her, watching as Carrington patched her up with a new set of bandages over her old wounds and applied stimpacks and salves to deal with the new ones, Agent Desdemona stared back at him with a most miserable expression…one that he was quite familiar with whenever he saw his own reflection a few years back._

 _The kind of look he expected from someone who was hoping to die…and failed to do so._

…

 _A/N: It was about time since I've got to updating but I have been just so busy with work in the past months that I've had to put my fics on the backburner until I felt I had the time and motivation to continue them._

 _Also, the chapter title is a line from the song 'Judas' by Fozzy. Love the song and I find that most of it's lyrics are quite fitting for Dez's current state of mind and will be even more so later on in the story._


End file.
